Current Ethical Issues

This page is regularly updated with information and links on moral and ethical issues that Catholics may wish to take action upon.

Lifting of the ban on civil partnership ceremonies being performed in churches

Quotes from The Daily Telegraph- Wednesday 2nd November:

“The Telegraph reports today that the government has approved the proposal to allow civil partnership ceremonies to be conducted at places of worship. Readers will recall that civil partnerships in English law are legally exclusive to same-sex couples and in practice are used only by homosexual* couples; and have already been given many of the "rights belonging to marriage" in English law.”

“Lynne Featherstone, the equalities minister, will say that the ban on the ceremonies in religious surroundings will be lifted on Dec 5. The move has been championed by David Cameron but is likely to be opposed by some church groups.”

“The scheme will be “voluntary” with no church compelled to offer same-sex services. However, it is likely that some campaigners will seek to push the matter further if churches refuse to open their doors to gay couples.”

“Today’s move comes ahead of plans to give same-sex couples the right to marry, ending the legal definition of marriage as the union of a man and woman.”

If you wish to contact the Government over this issue, please click here.

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Latest news from SPUC-
(Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child)

 
The British government is planning to force local authorities to provide abortion services under the NHS reforms currently before parliament (the Health and Social Care Bill). This was stated by Anne Milton, the health minister, in a parliamentary answer. SPUC is calling upon supporters to write to their local councillors about the move.
 
You can contact your local councillors via http://www.writetothem.com/
 
Please write to your local councillors* and ask them to write to their chief executive requesting clarification of what the regulations will require. It is important to bear in mind that we are not saying that the current situation should be maintained, but that no statutory duty to commission abortions should be imposed on Local Authorities under the NHS reforms.

* The relevant local authorities are:
Unitary authorities (where these exist), Borough Councils (in London), Metropolitan District Councils, and County Councils elsewhere. (A helpful, informal guide to Local Authority structures can be found at http://www.gwydir.demon.co.uk/uklocalgov/structure.htm )