Anti-Catholicism in England?

BBC, Sept. 29 — The archbishop of Birmingham, England, has accused the news and current-affairs departments of the state-sponsored British Broadcasting Corp. of anti-Catholic bias, the BBC itself reported.

Archbishop Vincent Nichols pointed to “hostility” toward the Church, which he said he found in three upcoming programs on the network: “Kenyon Confronts,” which deals with sex abuse by clergy; “Sex and the Holy City,” scheduled to coincide with the silver jubilee of Pope John Paul II and the beatification of Mother Teresa of Calcutta; and an animated series called “Popetown,” which presents a literal cartoon of the hierarchy.

Archbishop Nichols called one of the programs “offensive to every Catholic in this country.” He said researchers for the sex abuse program had approached priests in his diocese aggressively — for instance, calling at late hours, insisting on interviewing one 79-year-old priest the day after he left the hospital and cornering another elderly priest in a rest home.

“The Catholic community,” the archbishop said, “is fed up.”

Rabbit Eggs Used to Grow Human Stem Cells

ASSOCIATED PRESS, Sept. 22 — A team of researchers at Shanghai's Second Medical University have managed an unusual feat with implications for bioethics debates in the United States.

According to the AP, the scientists have discovered how to fuse human skin cells with eggs taken from rabbits to produce early-stage embryos, which can be used to produce stem cells. Such cells are sought by researchers around the world who think they can yield treatments for such diseases as Parkinson's or be used to grow organs for transplant.

The use of aborted human embryos for this purpose has caused a major political battle throughout the West between pro-lifers and advocates of unrestricted experimentation.

It is unclear whether the embryos produced in China would satisfy this research need or whether they should be considered human. According to the AP, opponents of human cloning have insisted they should.

Financial Professionals Need Prayers, Too

THE TIMES (London), Sept. 27 — The British-based think tank the Industrial Christian Fellowship thinks businessmen need prayers, too.

The organization called on churches to include accountants and bankers in their prayer petitions, Times columnist Martin Waller pointed out. The group, founded in 1877, sponsored a report that found that prayers offered in church focus mostly on clergy, religious and those in social service professions, such as nurses and teachers.

John Raymond of the Industrial Christian Fellowship said of those engaged in business: “There is a feeling that these professions are too worldly — almost not good enough — for prayers. There is a feeling that you cannot mix God and Mammon. But I think that is exactly the opposite of how Jesus would see it. We need an increased awareness and acceptance by clergy and laity that work is part of God's creation and Christians need to be supported and equipped to live out their faith in their lives.”