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SPUC backs archbishop on cloning
Westminster, 20 October 2000--Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) is writing to every parish priest in Britain and Northern Ireland in support of Archbishop Nichols of Birmingham's recent pastoral letter against cloning.John Smeaton, SPUC national director, is encouraging clergy to get
parishioners to telephone their MPs on Monday-week (the 30th) and ask
them to oppose a private member's bill which would allow research on
cloned embryos.
Mr Smeaton called Archbishop Nichols' letter: "an inspiration and a sign of great hope at a difficult moment in history."
He added: "We welcome the lead which the church is taking at
this crucial time. Before the next general election we will almost
certainly see moves by the government to widen existing limits on
embryo research to allow so-called therapeutic cloning.
"Also, the public health minister has said that she is
considering making the abortifacient morning-after pill available
without prescription 'later in the year'. The pro-life movement needs
all the help it can get and Archbishop Nichols has given us much
encouragement and grounds for real hope."
Mr Smeaton's letter to parish priests will include a summary of
the main points in the archbishop's pastoral letter, as well as the
prayer with which Archbishop Nichols closed. Clergy are being
encouraged to copy and distribute the prayer for use by parishioners.
Dr Evan Harris's bill on stem cell research is on the House of Commons agenda for Tuesday-week (the 31st). Details of the content of the bill have yet to be published. Parishioners wanting to speak to their MPs on Monday-week (the 30th) should telephone the House of Commons on (020) 7219 3000.
