Call to World Leaders to Revisit “Prophetic” Warnings of Humanae Vitae

International Right to Life Federation (IRLF) leaders meeting in Manila have issued a statement calling on "citizens throughout the world to study the prophetic message of Humanae Vitae", the papal teaching on the sanctity of life published in 1968.

The encyclical published under Pope Paul VI, warns of dire consequences which would stem from artificial methods of birth regulation. "Careful consideration should be given to the danger of this power passing into the hands of those public authorities who care little for the precepts of the moral law," warned the pope. "Should they regard this as necessary, they may even impose their use on everyone."

Dr Jack Willke, President of International Right to Life Federation, said: "Worldwide, we are witnessing the sexualization of our children — in particular, the sexual indoctrination of children with a view to subsequent provision of abortion and birth control drugs and devices to them without parental knowledge and consent, including in faith schools. We are also witnessing growing pressure from United Nations bodies on developing countries to legalize abortion."

The IRLF statement says: "We call on citizens throughout the world to demand that innocent human life, from conception until natural death, be protected from intentional killing in their nations' laws; we call on citizens throughout the world to demand that only marriage between a man and a woman be recognized in their nations' laws; we call on citizens throughout the world to demand that the inalienable rights of parents as primary educators and protectors be respected in their nations' laws."

The statement from the pro-life leaders concluded: "We consider that the depth of the crisis is so great we call on government leaders, politicians and citizens throughout the world to study the prophetic message of Humanae Vitae, as its 40th anniversary approaches in July 2008, in the light of worldwide experience".

International Right to Life is meeting in Manila and their board members are also speaking at the international conference on bioethics and the family, addressed by Bishop Sgreccia, President of the Pontifical Academy for life, and organized by the Catholic bishops' conference of the Philippines on January 9-10.

Read the full encyclical Humanae Vitae here.