Life After Death

woman), the attacks on the person (abortion and infanticide), the corruption of youth (adolescent sex education), the condoning of immoral practice (condoms in the context of HIV and the fear of sexually-transmitted diseases). These countries began openly to comment on the self-evident failure of the Western experiment of permissive living, and began questioning the underlying philosophy of the document. Time and again they re-stated that they were not happy with what was being suggested, that it was contrary to their national culture, their constitutions etc. In addition they noted the unbelievable rise of sexually-transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies, abortions, infertility, marital breakdown and all the other disasters of our permissive culture, and understandably strongly resented the UN trying to transplant these into their countries and cultures. It was indeed an earthquake.

The Holy See played an enormously important role in this whole process.

Principled, firm and unwavering, they fought for every clause and and every change of wording. And gradually the entire Conference changed its view and shape. The "pushover" was a thing of the past. Now the Conference became a restatement of acceptance, by the Conference, of religious, spiritual and ethical values, and national cultural norms. Substantial inroads were made into the document, including the key statement that abortion should in no case be used as a method of family planning; but there were others as well. This was immensely important and served as a sign for the deeper change taking place. It certainly was not Papal intractability: the results of the Conference showed that it was the 'technocrats' that were out of touch. It is my belief that all future conferences organised by the UN will now have to be aware that their utilitarian agenda is no longer acceptable, and is certainly unrepresentative. The "South" has woken up.

The "North" needs to realise this.