Canada’s bishops unwittingly funding groups promoting abortion in Peru, nation’s bishops’ head says.
By Ramon Gonzalez
LIMA, Peru (CNS) — The president of the Episcopal Commission on Family, Childhood and Life of the Peruvian bishops’ conference said Canada’s bishops are funding activities of groups that support abortion in Peru.
Archbishop Jose Antonio Eguren of Piura said in a letter to the president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops that funding provided through the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace is aiding three organizations that are “very committed with the abortion movement here in Peru.”
“I’m personally concerned about any funding from Catholics of Canada to pro-abortion groups in Peru,” Archbishop Eguren said in a May 28 letter to Winnipeg Archbishop James Weisgerber, president of the Canadian bishops’ conference.
The Peruvian archbishop’s letter identifies the National Community Radio Coordinating Agency, the Peruvian Economic Solidarity Network and the Federation of Women Organised in Popular Kitchens as the groups receiving aid from the development organisation even though they support abortion.
“As you will see, each group either explicitly endorses abortion and/or contraception, either by name or by its various euphemisms like ‘sexual and reproductive rights’ or some derivation thereof,” Archbishop Eguren wrote.
“In that sense, we would respectfully like to formally request that the funding for the pro-abortion groups in Peru by the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace be halted.”
The letter’s authenticity was confirmed by Carlos Polo, a lay member of the family, childhood and life commission. Although the letter is dated May 28, it was not sent until June 9, he said.
Archbishop Weisgerber could not be reached for comment.
Michael Casey, executive director of Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace, said on June 10 he was aware of Archbishop Eguren’s letter but declined comment until both the Canadian bishops’ conference and his office received the correspondence.
Casey confirmed that the organisations identified by the Peruvian archbishop have partnered with the Canadian development organisation for several years.
“We were just made aware of this letter so people that are involved with our Peru program will be doing follow up on this,” Casey said from his Montreal office.
“We just need more information. All we have is just the news that this letter was written to the (Canadian) bishops’ conference but it hasn’t been received yet and so we are not in a position to comment on it,” he said.
Archbishop Eguren was the only Peruvian bishop who signed the letter.