Anti-euthanasia group appeals for Catholic support

The Right to Life campaign are appealing for more Catholic churches to collect signatures for a petition opposing euthanasia. While current laws reject euthanasia, the campaign points out that some sections of the Lord Chancellor's new consultation paper: 'Making Decisions - Helping People Who Have Difficulty Deciding For Themselves' - promote euthanasia by omission - by the withdrawal of assisted food and fluid, causing death by starvation and dehydration. They also note that the paper allows for the possibility of families opposed to such treatment being over-ruled. In a letter to ICN, Phyllis Bowman from the Right to Life campaign writes: "People do not seem to recognise the political importance of this paper." She says that while the petition has had strong support from the Baptists and Pentecostal churches, some Catholic churches in the Greater London area have collected very few signatures so far. Appealing for all churches to promote the petition, she adds that pro-euthanasia groups say they have already gathered many thousands of signatures. "At the very least, we need to get as many signatures as they do" she concludes. The deadline for the petition is 9 October. To receive petition forms, posters or more information, contact Right to Life on: tel: 020 8992 7657; fax 020 8896 1859 e-mail: rtl@ukgateway.net or visit their website: www.righttolife.org.uk