Bishops’ decision on Cura welcomed

AS a former Cura counsellor, I welcome the decision by the Irish bishops to call for an end to the distribution of the ‘positive options’ leaflet by Cura.

One of the main reasons crisis pregnancy counselling exists is because most people who find themselves in such a situation cannot be helped adequately with just a phone number or a piece of paper.

Regardless of the pro-life or pro-choice positions of the nine agencies represented by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, it is unprofessional in the extreme to allow a leaflet do the work of the counsellor.

Many confused women come to the doors of Cura with abortion in mind. This does not necessarily mean it is the best option for them, and Cura is perfectly entitled to believe it is not, as long as it maintains the standard of non-judgemental counselling for which it is famous - a standard I can strongly vouch for.

The taxpayer deserves to have Cura’s ethos represented among the options available via the CPA. To imply that every agency ought to have the same attitude to abortion is unrealistic and unfair: it is obvious that many groups represented by the CPA approve of it.

To withhold substantial funding from an agency that disagrees with the CPA’s whip-crackers would represent a blatant misuse of power akin to bullying and a blow to all Irish women facing crisis pregnancies.

Seamus Lynch

Seaview

Portrane

Co Dublin