A few minutes after the Cana Movement – or whoever – released its press release about IVF a very good friend of mine sent me an email to tell me how hurt he was by the statement.
He is just older than me. He is a very good Catholic who is still very active in parish work. He was also greatly involved in Church work on the diocesan level. My friend was very active in the Cana Movement for many years.
With his consent, I produce his statement in toto out of the deep respect I have for this person.
My friend's comments
"I think that such press releases do a lot of harm to the credibility of the Church and of Cana Movement. Of particular concern to me are the following statements:
1. "legalisation of IVF by other countries had opened the way for abortion" – This seems to be a non-sequitur. Those women who go through the huge pains of IVF actually WANT a child and hence, I cannot see how IVF opens the way for abortion.
However, it could leave the door open for abortion IF IVF is not regulated – as it is currently today – and Government leaves the door open to abuse.
2. "The movement said it would continue to support couples having infertility problems through its Wanting and Waiting Group" - even the name of this group is stupid and not a consolation for couples who do want a child and find it very difficult.
3. "However having a child was not a gift which everyone would receive." – is this what Cana / the Church is telling the couples who are eagerly wanting to have a child? What a consolation! This statement begs the question which is extremely difficult to answer convincingly: Why don't they receive this gift as well? What abomination have they committed?
4. This is similar to the other statement that the Pro Life Movement in Malta regularly repeats: "Having a child is not a right." So what?! But most couples want to have a child – and may God bless Malta where most couples do want a child.
I've worked in the Cana Movement for several years when my wife and I were still a young couple and then married. [He then gives details of his work with Cana. I will not give details so as not to reveal his identity.] So, I have the Cana Movement still very much at heart. But I find the above declarations highly offensive and they will definitely have a very negative impact on the Cana Movement and the Church in Malta."
My comment
The statement of the Cana Movement – or whoever approved it – is extremely disappointing. One cannot but be gravely saddened that this was the best that Cana could produce.
I have two principal objections to the statement.
1. At this stage of the game people expect comments on the proposed legislation and not general statements of principle on IVF; and, to boot, statements that lump all IVF legislation as if they are one . One can understand that a statement by the Bishops before the law was proposed would have been general in nature. But now it is the duty of the Catholic community to engage in the concrete debate which would lead to the best possible law in the circumstances or, at least, the law which would do less harm.
2. My greatest outrage is towards the first sentence of point number five the statement. I leave it in the Maltese original: "Jaghraf li, kull fejn dahal l-IVF dan wassal ghal hafna abbuzi u fetah it-triq ghall-permissibilita' tal-abort." This is the pits. This statement is as imprudent and offensive as the statement that "wherever Catholic priests set up church in a country child abuse ensued." The statement says that IVF opened the way to abortion although it is proven that in most countries abortion preceded IVF! The abortion non-sequitur card failed during the divorce referendum and will back fire during the IVF debate.
Cana Movement has had a great past. With statements like this it will not have a similarly glorious future.