Why the Church speaks” “

First a press release of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales to publicly enunciate the values that the Catholic Church has at heart, in view of the forthcoming general elections (perhaps on 5 May). Then the appreciation expressed by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor for the proposal made by Conservative leader Michael Howard that the time limit for the interruption of pregnancy be reduced to twenty weeks. But this was enough to ignite a heated controversy throughout the UK, in which the Labour premier Tony Blair has also been sucked in. THE BACKGROUND. It all began with a press release issued by the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales in view of the approaching general elections, which have still to be called, but which people generally believe Blair will call on 5 May, in coincidence with the local elections. In their communiqué, the bishops encourage Catholics to question parliamentary candidates on a number of key issues before deciding how to vote. The first question emphasized by the English episcopate is “marriage and the family”: politicians are asked to “support and strengthen family life and assess all legislation for its impact on families”. The second point concerns “respect for life”: “The bishops reiterate their opposition to abortion, the cloning of human embryos and euthanasia. They call for policies that safeguard the fundamental right to life” in particular on behalf of the “especially vulnerable”. The third points concerns “criminal justice”: the bishops urge “a compassionate and fresh approach to crime and punishment and policies that “produce a more humane criminal justice system”. Next on the list come education, the global common good, including the war on poverty and the “cancellation of debt” of the poor countries, and a policy for refugees and migrants that, in the view of the English episcopate, ought to be aimed at protecting their “human rights and dignity”. THE INTERVIEW. In an interview with the women’s magazine Cosmopolitan, the opposition Conservative leader Michael Howard expressed his support for a reduction from the current 24 to 20 weeks as the time limit for the voluntary interruption of pregnancy. British premier TONY Blair, interviewed in the same magazine, replied: “Even though I don’t like the idea of abortion, the women who, in difficult circumstances, make this choice, cannot be criminalized”. Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor then intervened on the question, saying that the proposed reduction “is insufficient, but is a step in the right direction”‘. These words pronounced by the archbishop were enough to cause a furore: the cardinal’s comment was interpreted by various papers as a sign that the Catholic Church – which has some 4 million faithful in the UK – could withdraw its traditional support for the Labour Party. The reaction of Tony Blair was immediate: through a spokesman, he repeated his conviction that abortion ought not to enter into the electoral debate, but should continue to be a question of individual conscience. SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT. The cardinal was then forced to explain in detail the position of the Church in a series of interviews with the press, radio and TV, which his press office then issued in résumé form as a press release. The cardinal declared that “the bishops and I are not endorsing any of the parties”. “We have issued a document” – he said – that “makes clear what the Catholic Church believes are important issues”. “The issues are various – added the archbishop –. We believe that life issues – abortion, euthanasia and stem-cell research – are vital. But a better deal for the world’s poor, and respecting the rights and dignity of migrants, and the conditions of the poor, are also vital issues, as is care for the environment and the conditions of our overcrowded prisons: they all touch on the dignity of the human person”. Asked whether it was appropriate for the Church to intervene in politics, Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor replied: “Certainly, because there’s a point at which religion and politics touch. These are moral issues which affect the good of society as a whole about which I, as a religious leader, cannot stay silent, because the Gospel is not silent on them”. But by welcoming Michael Howard’s call for a reduction of the time limit on abortion was not the cardinal sending a coded message to Catholics to vote Conservative? “Just as I have supported Howard’s proposal – replied the archbishop – I have also supported the government’s measures in favour of the reduction of the international debt and the war on poverty. In no case did I send hidden messages”. On the question of abortion, the cardinal said he was “glad that the issue is now in the public arena” “I am not telling people to vote for this or that party – ended the cardinal -. I am asking the parties to listen to the voice of the Church”.