Letters

Matter of conscience

Arnold Jago

Contents - Jul 2013 - Buy a copy now Homily: Saints John Fisher and Thomas More: from Pope Pius XI's canonisation homily Cardinal Pell's candid responses to Victorian Parliament grilling - Peter Westmore News: The Church Around the World Youth: Melbourne's young adult ministry continues its revival - Br Barry Coldrey Paul VI: Humanae Vitae: still prophetic after 45 years - Anne Lastman Cardinal Ouellet's Australian lecture: rediscover human nature - Owen Vyner Social media: Catholic activism and the AussieMite affair - Damian Wyld Formation: Future priests learn about the RCIA process - Rev Dr Elio Capra SDB Obituary: Vale Fr Paul Duffy SJ (1931-2013) - Anna Krohn Human dignity: Defence of marriage must be linked to defence of parenthood - Denise Hunnell Musicae Sacrae: The essential role of music in the Mass - Ronan Reilly Parody?: Anti-Catholic hate speech, Aussie Style (Move on, nothing to see here) - R.J. Stove Letters: Vision of Heaven? - Peter Harris Letters: Mr Hyde's lesson - John Ballantyne Letters: Healthy families vital - Brendan Keogh Letters: Finding true unity - Didymus Astle Letters: Matter of conscience - Arnold Jago Letters: Marriage simply is ... - Brian A. Coman Letters: Guilt-free sin - Paul Voskulen Letters: Offensive advert - Helen F. Daniel Letters: Contact your candidates - Gerard Calilhanna Letters: Christian civil rights - Name and Address Supplied Books: SAINTS WHO RAISED THE DEAD: True Stories of Four Hundred Resurrection Miracles - Br Barry Coldrey (reviewer) Books: ST JOSEMARIA ESCRIVA AND THE ORIGINS OF OPUS DEI - Br Barry Coldrey (reviewer) Books: Order books from www.freedompublishing.com.au Reflection: Benedict XVI: Sts Peter and Paul, two pillars of the Church

On 29 March the Herald Sun headlined as follows: "Penalty fear: Doctor's abortion stance may be punished." Melbourne GP, Dr Mark Hobart, had been asked by a couple for a referral for an abortion on the grounds that their unborn baby was a girl and they didn't want another daughter. Dr Hobart refused.

In doing so, he has contravened Section 8 of the Abortion Law Reform Act which obliges any doctor with a conscientious objection to abortion to refer such people to a doctor who has no such objection.

A separate article has revealed how another Victorian doctor has been "cautioned" by the Medical Board for saying in an online discussion that he could not refer for abortions. This doctor has been told that if he comes back before the Board they will treat it very seriously. It is suggested that the ultimate penalty may be deregistration from medical practice.

As a practising GP, I have always refused to refer for abortion. I know I could never do so, regardless of the law.

ARNOLD JAGO (DR)
Mildura, Vic

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 26 No 6 (July 2013), p. 16