Catholic schools in the North are shutting their doors to Amnesty because of its new abortion stance, writes Fionola Meredith.
The tone may be more in sorrow than in anger, but it seems that the Catholic Church in Northern Ireland is determined to distance itself from the human rights organisation Amnesty International, due to its controversial new policy on abortion - even if it means closing down flourishing Amnesty support groups within Catholic grammar schools.
Amnesty International's stance, that rape and incest victims should be entitled to abortions, has already led to calls from senior members of the Catholic hierarchy to withdraw support from the organisation. For Sr Ursula Canavan, head of Rathmore Grammar School in Finaghy, South Belfast - one of the schools which has severed connections with Amnesty - the issue is clear-cut. "I could not, as a matter of integrity, continue with Amnesty activities in the school. I admire greatly the work that Amnesty does on justice issues, but I felt that we could not on the one hand promote a pro-life stance and, on the other, work for Amnesty. It's a matter of principle."
Dr Donal McKeown, Auxiliary Bishop in the Diocese of Down and Connor, sits on the board of governors of Our Lady and St Patrick's College in East Belfast. The school's Amnesty group has been wound up, on the advice of Dr Patrick Walsh, Bishop of Down and Connor. Like Sr Canavan, Bishop McKeown takes a rueful but firm approach. "Amnesty's espousal in recent months of campaigning for abortion access in limited circumstances will leave many people in a difficult situation. All we are saying here is that it seemed inappropriate in those circumstances for Catholic schools to be promoting the organisation."
It's clear that the Amnesty group at Our Lady and St Patrick's College was a long-established one. One picture on the school's website shows a crowd of eager students grouped around a banner calling for the protection of human rights in Iraq. And now it seems they have lost a valuable outlet for their developing social consciences? "Yes, it is sad, and of course Amnesty does such good work," says Bishop McKeown. "It has a strong commitment to the Catholic worldview on justice issues. But we really cannot promote an organisation with such a policy."
PATRICK CORRIGAN, AMNESTYNorthern Ireland's programme director, has been desperately trying to rescue the situation, insisting that he has no wish to force the point with schools. He is seeking meetings with Catholic bishops, and has already written to the 17 Catholic school principals with Amnesty groups in the North, pointing out that the organisation does not promote abortion as a human right, and reassuring them that no Amnesty member would be obliged to work on a campaign issue they do not believe in. "Amnesty International and the Catholic church have more in common than that which divides us," he says. "Some of the most joyous moments of my work with Amnesty have been with young people in Catholic schools. It would be a sad day if they weren't able to stand with us on human rights issues worldwide."
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL'S IRISHsection announced last July it would not be promoting the organisation's new campaign. The decision followed a two-year consultation with members. Amnesty groups in the North are part of the UK branch of the organisation, which supports the controversial stance.
The church has no Ireland-wide policy on Amnesty International's work in schools at present, although the issue is likely to be discussed at the general meeting of the Irish Bishops' Conference next month. Certainly, as far as Noeleen Hartigan, programme director for Amnesty's Irish section, is concerned, it's business as usual within school groups: "It isn't an issue for our schools. The Amnesty position on access to abortion is a global policy position; that policy is cognisant that each national section within Amnesty will take into account their own national context on campaigning on abortion. While we accept the new policy, we won't be campaigning on it."
Critics of Amnesty's Irish section argue that choosing to opt out of the global abortion policy both makes a nonsense of Amnesty's claims to advocate for universal human rights, and sends a negative signal about the status of women's rights within the organisation. Mary Muldowney, of Alliance for Choice, thinks the opt-out was a case of kowtowing to pressure from the Catholic Church. "It was a particularly mealy-mouthed, undemocratic thing to do," she says. "Amnesty [in Ireland] are backing off from a basic human right."
With feelings running high on all sides, it's difficult to see how this crisis of conscience can be resolved. Orla Murray, head girl at Rathmore Grammar and former member of the school's Amnesty group, feels angry and alienated by Amnesty's qualified support for abortion. She believes that it's impossible for Catholic schools to continue their work with Amnesty. "Our ethos and Amnesty's ethos just don't fit any more," she says.
But other pupils and parents across the North aren't prepared to see Amnesty summarily dismissed from their schools without a fight. "I'm very disappointed that my son's school closed its Amnesty group without consulting parents, pupils or staff," says Shauna, an active Amnesty member herself. "It was an extreme reaction to just one issue. And it sends out the message that our help is conditional, that we will put our principles before our willingness to help people. Is that really what we want to teach our children?"
'Our ethos and Amnesty's ethos just don't fit any more.'
Orla Murray, head girl at Rathmore Grammar and former member of the school's Amnesty group, is unhappy with Amnesty's qualified support for abortion. She believes that it's impossible for Catholic schools to continue their work with the organisation, given the perceived ethical conflict. "I heard about the change in Amnesty's position over the summer, and I realised straight away that our group would have to close. We didn't really have a choice: our ethos and Amnesty's ethos just don't fit any more," she says.
'It sends out the message that our help is conditional'
Other pupils and parents across the North feel that Amnesty's role in the schools should be defended, despite the difference of opinion. "I'm very disappointed that my son's school closed its Amnesty group without consulting parents, pupils or staff," says Shauna, an active Amnesty member herself. "It was an extreme reaction to just one issue. And it sends out the message that our help is conditional, that we will put our principles before our willingness to help people. Is that really what we want to teach our children?"