...has been invited to speak at a major Pontifical University in Rome. Read about it here.
Further information here, and also here.
It seems likely that the organisers of this event do not know about the speaker's strong association with Planned Parenthood. She is British and is simply well-known as a lawyer and the wife of a leading public figure. It is crucial, therefore, that the University is informed.
The speaker, Mrs Cherie Blair, hosted a major fund-raising event for Planned Parenthood at 10 Downing Street in 2003, promoting condoms for teenagers under the slogan "Lust for Life". She honoured the 75th anniversary celebrations of Britain's Family Planning Association - the leading campaigning movement for abortion in Britain - as the special celebrity guest, cutting the celebration cake and being photographed brandishing a condom. And no, it isn't the case that the FPA or Planned Parenthood do other things than abortion and contraception - so she wasn't helping them with other projects. They don't make quilts or serve tea to the poor, or teach mathematics or help Auntie with the housework...they promote abortion and contraception: that's what they were established to do, and that's what they do, and when Mrs Blair raises funds for them she knows that what the funds are for.
Mrs Blair is a leading supporter of organisations working at the United Nations to promote abortion worldwide. Read about this here.
There is no reason whatever why Mrs Blair should speak at a Pontifical University. The Church can draw on many excellent women speakers with superb credentials to tackle issues concerning women's rights and freedoms - it is absurd to invite instead some one who passionately supports organisations promoting abortion.
It might be useful to send a fax to the Congregation for Catholic Education about this. You can find out more about that here.
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12 comments:
Good for you for speaking out on this.
I've also just read your comment on the Catholic Universe site -- wonderful stuff. Keep it up.
Break it down. The fact she is speaking doesn't mean we have to agree with her on everything. That said, she should be prepared for a good grilling form her audience. Even the Tyburn Sisters in London, one of the most faithful orders of nuns in the world had her as their guest speaker a few years ago, giving the Tyburn lecture. an invitation to speak does not mean endorsement of the speaker's views.
Catholic institutions should not provide a pro-abortion public personality with a platform to speak. It is scandalous. I am sorry that the Tyburn Sisters found it necessary to invite Mrs. Blair. It certainly does imply some level of comfort with her and her views.
Can understand people's concern, but the problem is we have so few professional Catholic women speakers who are also mothers. By that I mean Mrs Blair is a great role model in that she has forged her own career and could support her family if needs be. In that she is a terrific role model for young women who are tuned off by those who claim a woman's place is in the home etc. It simply won't wash these days. I know - I teach 22 15/16 year olds, and the very concept of housewives cracks them up. However as a Catholic I LOATHE Planned Parenthood and was surprised Mrs Blair is apparently so attached to them. Working for the Archdiocese I must remain anonymous.
Re the second Comment: it was possibly appropriate for the Tyburn community - which I know well - to invite the wife of the Prime Minister to speak, especially as it was before much of her strong support for Planned Parenthood and linked organisations was known. It is absolutely not right for a Pontifical University to invite her to lecture given her now very public support for organisations promoting abortion. Her recently-published autobiography in which she gives us gratuitous information about her use of contraceptives is further evidence of her unsuitability as a lecturer at the Angelicum. There will of course be no question of her being given "a good grilling". This would be neither feasible nor courteous. It would cause a disgraceful incident if the wife of a well known public figure were to be treated in a way that seemed insulting or offensive: those attending the conference will know this and act politely to all speakers, which will in practice mean that anything remotely resembling a "grilling" is out of order. No conference organisers invite speakers in order to subject them to a form of public interrogation.
The only correct course of action is for the invitation to be tactfully withdrawn.
Joanna Bogle
Re the 4th comment: Mrs Blair is NOT a good role model. There are a number of women lawyers, doctors, founders of organisations and charities, holders of public office, and others, who are eminently qualified to speak at a conference of this kind - including a number who have practical experience in assisting women who have suffered injustice and abuse. Mrs Blair's success as a lawyer must be balanced against the grim fact of her supporting organisations promoting abortion and her lack of experience in the practicalities of working with the world's poorest women: she is a successful London lawyer and wife of a leading public figure and these, while important, are not neccesarily the most crucial qualifications for speaking at a conference on the given topic.
On your general point: many women holding professional jobs or carrying out some kind of useful public work combine this with running a home. Others, particularly if they are unable to afford help in the house when their children are small, find that time for public activity is limited and make a massive contribution to society by their commitment to their families and neighbours. Of course most teenage girls are unimpressed with the idea of being housewives - adolescents are notoriously ignorant and ungrateful towards those who care for them. It doesn't mean we should take such sneers too seriously, but rather that we should encourage the young people concerned to take a wider and more intelligent look at life, and to recognise that service given to those nearest to us is a crucial aspect of living as a kindly and decent human being. A bit of wisdom, common sense and humour can convey these things - even if the young people take a while to admit the possibility of truth in what we say.
How many of us, on reaching maturity, have found ourselves admitting that much of what a teacher told us - derided by us at the time - turned out to be true, and interesting, and helpful?
Joanna B.
When I was an adolescent a schoolfriend told me that camping had made him very aware of his privileges. Just having hot water, food without lighting a fire, and a bed was something he had never appreciated.
Adolescents are stroppy because they need to establish their independence and their own ideas, in a society that makes this increasingly difficult. Anonymous should try to arrange some little adventures for her charges. They might even come back as militant anti-feminists.
Hello, Joanna! I'm not a Catholic but I've really enjoyed your programmes on EWTN. I like your approach to history and things in general.
I'm slightly attracted to the Catholic Church (brought up a UK Baptist) so I have to say that for me it's strange to read you criticising Cherie Blair. True, I know little about her, but one of the things I do know about her is that she had a baby at the age of 47, and called that baby a 'miracle baby'- against all the odds. I respected her for this. I assumed this was her Catholic faith in operation, so I did think: Well, maybe they (the Catholics) have a point (about birth control etc). I too happen to agree that abortion is wrong.
So I have to admit I'm disappointed to read that you don't support her.
Hi Joanna, I'm from the other side of the Atlantic, and perhaps sensibilities are different here, but I'm fascinated by this while debate. i can't understand your reasoning that the wife of a well-known public figure can't be given a "good grilling". The lady (OK, I'm old-fashioned too) is there in there in her own right as a human rights lawyer. It would be unheard of for such a high profile, controversial speaker over here not to take pretty probing questions from the floor. From what I know of Ms Booth she would be well up to the challenge. However, this is a long way of saying I agree with your fundamental point - she is a very poor choice by a pontifical University - especially one that follows the great traditions of St Thomas Aquinas. I was also surprised about the Tyburn Sisters - perhaps they were unaware at that stage of her anti-life opinions.
Hi Joanna, I'm from the other side of the Atlantic, and perhaps sensibilities are different here, but I'm fascinated by this while debate. i can't understand your reasoning that the wife of a well-known public figure can't be given a "good grilling". The lady (OK, I'm old-fashioned too) is there in there in her own right as a human rights lawyer. It would be unheard of for such a high profile, controversial speaker over here not to take pretty probing questions from the floor. From what I know of Ms Booth she would be well up to the challenge. However, this is a long way of saying I agree with your fundamental point - she is a very poor choice by a pontifical University - especially one that follows the great traditions of St Thomas Aquinas. I was also surprised about the Tyburn Sisters - perhaps they were unaware at that stage of her anti-life opinions.
Dear 'Auntie Joanna'
We've been away for a few days and have just noticed that you blogged on this.
We did too last week and took the liberty of suggesting you (amongst others) as an inspiring, orthodox and pro-life alternative.
In Christ
Alan and Angeline
Thank you, Joanna, for this post. Even the Dominican priest who works for the Angelicum is defending this. He posted on it again today. His defense seems to rest on "Well, we didn't give her award or anything". He says he's sincerely baffled by all the negativity about her invitation &, for my part, I'm sincerely baffled by his sincere bafflement!
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