Cardinal Meisner defends his support of the "morning-after" pill
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Cardinal Meisner defends his support of the "morning-after" pill
The Archbishop of Cologne, Cardinal Joachim Meisner has decided to answer critics. A protest-mail campaign criticised the controversial decision, to approve the "morning after pill" subject to the condition that it was without abortifacient action, and allow it at Catholic hospitals in North Rhine-Westphalia and the Rhineland-Palatinate. Pro-life organizations and Catholic doctors call it a "phantom-pill" because with every known "morning after pill" an abortifacient effect could not be excluded.
Meisner, who was followed by the German Bishops' Conference on the 21st February, justifies his decision on a study the chairman of an international abortion lobby. First, it was claimed in the media,with the Cardinal as a source, that Pope Benedict XVI. had been informed of the step and had endorsed it. A claim that Cardinal Meisner had to deny a few hours later after the intervention of Rome.
Unfortunately Cardinal Meissner has still not answered some basic questions, first, why the scientific arguments and concerns of the Catholic doctors are ignored? Why did he take the decision so swiftly (rumours that the Green Party Health Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia had threatened to abolishing state subsidies to the Catholic health care facilities)? Why did he not wait for a neutral scientific testing of "new knowledge", as now the Swiss bishops have decided? (contrary to initial reports that they had followed the German bishops)
Catholic Church Conservation