Calgary bishop raps critics for trying to force vaccinations in Catholic schools
June 27, 2012
Bishop Fred Henry of Calgary, Alberta, has fired back at critics who, he said, “purposely misrepresent” the policies of the diocese in their calls for Catholic schools to inoculate girls with the HPV vaccine.
After a group called HPV Calgary charged that the diocese was leaving girls vulnerable to cancer, Bishop Henry pointed out that Catholic schools are not preventing students from receiving the vaccine. The diocesan policy only states that the vaccinations will not be administered in the schools. HPV Calgary has complained that most parents choose not to vaccinate their daughters when the shots are not administered in schools.
"Why don't they spend their time trying to figure out an alternate way and site to vaccinate children?” Bishop Henry asked. “Instead they would rather demonize those who don't agree with their approach and consistently and purposely misrepresent the Alberta Bishops teaching, and override religious freedom and parental rights.”
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Further information:
- Bishop Fred Henry strikes back at health advocates over HPV vaccination (Calgary Herald)
- Canadian diocese under pressure to allow in-school HPV vaccinations (CWN, 6/26)
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Posted by: wolfdavef3415 -
Jun. 27, 2012 11:50 PM ET USA
If the parents can't get off their butts to save their children from cancer, how is that the school's fault? I think it's quite a bit of hyperbole to go into the whole cancer charge, but let's take a good look at this. If the vaccine is so important, and parents cannot be bothered to do it on their own time, how is that the school's fault?