A Roman Catholic bishop told parishes and schools of his diocese to
stop raising money for a national breast cancer charity out of concern
it might one day decide to fund embryonic stem cell research.
Toledo Bishop Leonard Blair's sent a letter banning the
fundraising for Susan G. Komen for the Cure to all priests and parishes
in the 19-county diocese over the weekend.
Cincinnati's archbishop
earlier this year decided that schools and parishes in the 19-county
Cincinnati Archdiocese cannot raise funds for Komen for the same reason.
Scientists say research on embryonic stem cells, which are
usually taken from discarded embryos at fertility clinics, may lead to
cures for diseases.
The Catholic Church maintains that the destruction
of the embryo amounts to the killing of human life.
A spokeswoman for the national Komen group says it has never
funded stem cell research, although its policies do not prohibit that,
The Blade of Toledo reported Tuesday.
If the group received a request to fund such research, it "would
weigh it very carefully, as we do all research proposals," spokeswoman
Andrea Rader for the Dallas-based organization, told the Toledo
newspaper in an e-mail.
Research proposals are considered for their
likelihood to have a positive impact on breast cancer research and
treatment, Rader wrote.
Blair's letter said that Catholics need to find alternatives to
Komen for fundraising efforts "in order to avoid even the possibility of
cooperation in morally unacceptable activities."
Leaders with the charity's northwest Ohio affiliate are
"extremely disappointed" with Blair's decision and will ask to meet with
him, the chapter's executive director, Mary Westphal and board
chairwoman Angie Ash said.
They said that Blair and other diocesan
leaders did not call or meet with them before the decision.
A message seeking comment was left Tuesday at the diocese.
Archbishop Dennis Schnurr and other Cincinnati Archdiocese
officials have met with Komen representatives.
The archdiocese said in a
Feb. 1 letter to the charity that archdiocesan parishes and schools
would not be allowed to raise money for Komen, given the possibility
that the charity could fund such research.
But Bishop Richard Lennon of the Cleveland Diocese released a
joint statement with Komen last year, saying he was "satisfied that the
monies raised here in our diocese are going to help prevent and cure
breast cancer without violation of Catholic teaching."
Bishops in the Catholic Conference of Ohio have discussed Komen's
policy concerning the research, but have not issued a group statement
or policy, the group's executive director, Carolyn Jurkowitz, said.