February 10, 2009

• Catholics for Choice Statement on the 80th Anniversary of the Lateran Treaty

Jon O'Brien, president of Catholics for Choice, issued the following statement to mark the 80th Anniversary of the Lateran treaty between the Vatican and Italy on February 11.

 

March 21, 2005

• Briefing Paper on Article 52 of the European Constitution
  The Vatican was involved in national and international lobbying on behalf of the "Church" article in the proposed constitution for the European Union. The article grants significant and unique privileges and rights to religious denominations and makes them exempt from some European laws and regulations.

March 3, 2005

• Vatican Again Assumes Role of State to Escape Culpability in Sex Abuse Lawsuit
  A March 3 report from the National Catholic Reporter’s John L. Allen Jr. disclosed that last month Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano appealed to US Secretary of State Condoleezza abuse casa Rice to “intervene in a US lawsuit naming the Holy See as a defendant in a sex abuse case.”
  Click here to read the See Change Briefing Report
  
  November 5, 2004

• European Catholics Urge Dutch Members of Parliament
  to End Special Privileges for Holy See
  On Monday, 8 November, European Catholics and independent Catholic lay groups will deliver a petition to the presidents of six political groups in the Dutch Parliament to urge them to support a motion initiated by Lousewies van der Laan, Vice Chair of the Liberal Party D66, to end the special privileges of the Holy See at the United Nations.

November, 2004

• UNfulfilled: The Holy See backs off from its claim for full membership of the UN, settling for the rights already held by Palestine.
  "After skillful lobbying and diplomacy, including a year and a half of publicly announcing that it was considering full membership of the United Nations, the Holy See 'settled' for an increase in its rights as a Non-member State Permanent Observer. But the full membership the Holy See apparently sought was not forthcoming."
  From the Winter 2004/5 issue of Conscience
  By Serra Sippel, Catholics for a Free Choice International Program Director

May 14, 2003

• Le moment est venu de changer le statut du Saint-Siege
  Le Planning familial et des catholiques favorables à la laïcité ont lancé, mercredi à Paris, une campagne visant à changer le statut du Saint-Siège aux Nations unies, pour réduire son influence sur la planification des naissances et la santé des femmes, notamment dans les pays pauvres.

October 20, 2002

• European Meetings Address Growing Role of Religion in European Policy Making
  Members of parliament, NGOs, women's and human rights groups and international experts meet to explore the impact of religious diversity on policymaking in an enlarged European Union.

November 28, 2001

• European Parliament Addresses Growing Role of Religion in European Policy
  At the first seminar of its kind held at the European Parliament, Members of Parliament met with international experts to explore the role of religion in international policy making.

April 9, 2001

• European Parliament Censures Vatican
  Following reports of the sexual abuse of nuns carried out by priests in as many as 23 countries, members of the European Parliament passed an emergency motion censuring the Vatican. The non-executive resolution, "Responsibility of the Vatican in Regard to the Violation of Human Rights by Catholic Priests," was passed by 65 votes to 49 with six abstentions on Thursday, April 5.

March 27, 2001

• The "See Change" Broadside Launched
  The "See Change" Campaign has launched The "See Change" Broadside, a regular publication, emailed to supporters of the campaign, progressive Catholics and collegial organizations. It aims to show how the hierarchy of the Catholic church involves itself in public policy debates and, relying on sectarian religious positions, can, and does, obstruct progressive legislation. If you want to receive a copy of The "See Change" Broadside, please send an email from the address at which you want to receive Broadside to info@seechange.org with the words "Subscribe Broadside" in the subject line.
  
  January 23, 2001
  
• New Briefing Paper Uncovers History Of The Holy See at The United Nations
  The Catholic Church at the United Nations, examines the position of the Holy See at the UN, where it has the status of a Non-member State Permanent Observer. The evidence presented in this paper raises serious questions about the legitimacy of that status and more importantly raises interesting facts about how that privileged status was obtained.

November 28, 2000

• Vatican's Claim to Statehood used to Avoid Lawsuit
  The Vatican's bank has asked a U.S. court to throw out a lawsuit charging it with laundering gold and other assets stolen by a Nazi puppet regime, arguing that the Vatican has immunity because it is an independent state.

November 27, 2000

• Italian politician backs The “See Change” Campaign
  Marco Pannella, an Italian parliamentarian, has announced his support for the campaign to change the “state” status of the Vatican, especially as it relates to the United Nations.

November 18, 2000

• Dutch MPs protest Vatican international voting rights over AIDS
  A group of Dutch politicians launched a campaign against the Vatican City being represented as a state in the UN because it can block vital decisions on women's rights and AIDS.

  June 6, 2000

• The "See Change" Campaign Makes Waves at Beijing +5
  The "See Change" Campaign to initiate a review of the Holy See's special "state" status at the United Nations has already achieved one of its main objectives: full-blown dialogue about the status of the Holy See at the United Nations.

  April 2000

• Project Censored selects The “See Change” Campaign
  The “See Change” Campaign has been listed as one of “the top 25 undercovered news stories in the United States.”

April 2000

• Endorsers of The "See Change" Campaign respond to the US Congress
  Endorsers of The "See Change" Campaign from around the world wrote letters to members of the US Congress urging them not to support resolutions against the campaign introduced by anti-family planning members of Congress. Here, we reproduce three of those letters.

The Irish Family Planning Association - Ireland
Girls' Power Initiative - Nigeria
Catholics Speak Out - USA

April 27, 2000

• Asociación Madres de Plaza de Mayo endorses The "See Change" Campaign
  The internationally-renowned Argentinian human rights organization, Asociación Madres de Plaza de Mayo (Mothers of the Disappeared) has endorsed The "See Change" Campaign.

March 15, 2000

• The “See Change” Campaign: Facts and Myths
  Antiabortion members of the US Congress have introduced resolutions commending the Holy See for its contributions to the UN and opposing any efforts to change the Holy See's status at the United Nations. These resolutions misconstrue and misstate many aspects of The "See Change" Campaign.To set the record straight, we have drafted the following.

March 10, 2000

• The Holy See and Women's Rights
  A Shadow Report on the Beijing Platform for Action (2000, 16pp). A review of the Holy See's activities regarding the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action. (This link will take you to the website of CFFC, who produced the publication. To return to this page, use the 'back' button on your browser.)

February 25, 2000

• Anti Family Planning Members of Congress - Worried about a See Change
  Rep. Chris Smith and other conservative Republican members of Congress rush to defend the Holy See at the United Nations.

February 11, 2000

• Vatican spokesman calls the debate over Vatican UN status "a battle of ideology"
  International support for The "See Change" Campaign has forced the Vatican to officially denounce the international effort to change the Holy See's status at the United Nations.

September 28, 1999

• Despite media reports it's 'business as usual' for the Vatican
  Despite media reports to the contrary, the Vatican has reaffirmed its opposition to "UN family-planning programs that emphasize abortion and contraception."

August 17, 1999

• The Vatican reacts to The "See Change" Campaign
  The conservative Italian newsagency Zenit reports on the response by top Vatican spokesmen to The "See Change" Campaign.

July 1, 1999

• Two Open Letters to the Vatican, from the Youth Coalition on ICPD+5 and an international coalition of women's groups
  At the June United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York two open letters to delegates were distributed objecting to the obstructionism of the Holy See delegation.
  
  June 30, 1999
  
• UK secretary of state for international development condemns the Vatican at the UN
  Three articles, including one editorial, from the Guardian (London, UK) about the Vatican, its stance on reproductive health issues and its position at the United Nations.
  
  May 20, 1999

• BBC Online poll agrees Vatican’s status at United Nations should be changed
  BBC Online makes the Vatican's status at the UN the topic of its daily "Have Your Say" item. The poll asked visitors to cast their vote on the question, "Should the Vatican be expelled from the United Nations?"
  
  May 7, 1999

• Vatican's Opposition to Emergency Contraception for Kosovar Refugees is Part of a Broader Political Agenda
  A statement from the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) urging governmental, non-governmental and other institutions to endorse existing appeals for a review of the Vatican's status within the United Nations.
  
  April 25, 1999

• Change the Vatican’s status within the UN!
  A statement urging the Swedish government "to actively support the existing appeals for the reappraisal of the Vatican’s position within the UN."

  March 29, 1999
  

• Read correspondence about the campaign.
  The text of letters exchanged between the president of Catholics for a Free Choice and the bishop of Rockford regarding the Vatican at the United Nations.