|
Summarized by Kent Larsen
BYU-based Group Continues Support For Vatican
Manchester NH Union Leader 12Jun00 N4
By Bernadette Malone Connolly
NEW YORK, NEW YORK -- The fight over the status of the Vatican at the
United Nations continues, and the Manchester Union Leader's Connolly
argues that Republicans should rethink their position and support the
Vatican. The BYU-based World Family Policy Center is among those
supporting the Vatican against those that would take away its current
"observer" status at the UN and demote it to an non-governmental
organization (NGO).
Traditionally, the Vatican has been accorded many of the privileges
accorded to countries, and in 1964 it was named a 'Non-Member State
Permanent Observer' at the UN.Now, in a move steeped in
abortion-rights politics, pro-abortion forces at the UN are seeking
to demote the Holy See (as the Vatican's government is known) to an
NGO.
The pro-abortion forces, led by Catholics for a Free Choice, have
gained the support of Republicans for Choice, and Connolly argues
that this, compounded with presidential candidate George W. Bush's
trip to anti-Catholic and anti-Mormon Bob Jones University in South
Carolina, makes republicans look anti-Catholic, something they can't
afford in November. Connolly says that Republican views are so
similar to most Vatican views that, Republicans should naturally
support it in most areas, and suggests that presidential candidate
George W. Bush should speak out on the issue.
Traditionally, the Vatican's status, like that of any organization at
the UN, isn't determined by its political positions at the UN, but by
its relationship to other members. Connolly says that the Vatican
"just doesn't want to be demoted from the "observer" position it has
held since 1964 for defending what it believes is right." Allowing
status to be determined by political positions would not only
threaten the Vatican, but also endanger the status of other
organizations at the UN or that might want a voice at the UN in the
future.
See also:
Mormon Group Supports Catholics At UN
EWTN 16Mar00 N4
By Bruce Sullivan: CNS Staff Writer
|
