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Summarized by Kent Larsen
Mormon Group Supports Catholics At UN
EWTN 16Mar00 N4
By Bruce Sullivan: CNS Staff Writer
NEW YORK, NEW YORK -- In response to an attempt to get the status of
the Catholic Church changed at the United Nations, the BYU-based
World Family Policy Center has joined with other conservative,
family-oriented groups at the United Nations to oppose the move. The
defense of the Holy See, as the Catholic Church is known, is
orchestrated by the Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute (C-FAM),
who says they have received support from 1,015 groups from 46
countries.
The attempt to change the status of the Holy See at the United
Nations was started by pro-abortion groups attempting to reduce the
Church's influence on abortion matters. The Holy See currently has a
Permanent Observer seat at the United Nations. The groups want to
reduce the Church's status to that of other non-governmental
organizations at the United Nations.
C-FAM is pleased with the response it has received in its campaign to
support the Holy See, "We believe this is a world historical moment
because the groups that signed this document come from all faiths and
even no faith," said Austin Ruse, president of C-FAM. In addition to
the World Family Policy Center, supporters include some of the
largest and most influential evangelical Protestant groups in the U.S.
Focus on the Family vice-president Tom Minnery says that the campaign
to remove the Catholic Church from its Permanent Observer status is
pure politics by anti-abortion groups, "Abortion is what this is all
about. Pro-abortion forces are pressuring the UN to strip the Holy
See of its UN status simply because the Holy See is the number one
defender of an unborn child's human rights."
The pro-abortion group, led by the group Catholics for a Free Choice,
held a press conference March 15th to announce the drive at at event
sponsored by the White House, and several Republican congressman have
denounced the Clinton administration for supporting the campaign.
However, the White House claims that it is merely providing a forum
for groups to voice their positions on the issue, and that it does
not yet have an official stance on the issue.
See also:
Pro-Life Coalition Defends Vatican UN Status
Conservative News 14Mar00 N6
By Bruce Sullivan: CNS Staff Writer
This time, it's Gore whose stance on Catholics is questioned
Philadelphia PA Inquirer 17Mar00 N6
The GOP chairman says the vice president should reject two groups that want the Vatican's U.N. role downgraded.
By Jodi Enda: Inquirer Washington Bureau
Concerned Women for America Supports Holy See at U.N.
USNewsWire 14Mar00 N6
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