Catholic Relief Services Announced as Partner in Contraception-Promoting Campaign in Rwanda

Lepanto Institute, April 30, 3019

The Rwandan government launched new health initiative called the Baho Neza Integrated Health Campaign last week, identifying Catholic Relief Services as an implementing partner. The stated focus of the campaign is to “address various health related issues, including the availability and accessibility of family planning services.”

Catholic Relief Services’ involvement in the campaign is particularly troubling due to reports that “religious Leaders will also play a leading role in the campaign to ensure a wide reach and meaningful impact.”

“Multiple sources confirm that the central focus of the campaign is the spread of contraception,” said Michael Hichborn, president of the Leapnto Institute. “There is simply no excuse for any Catholic agency or individual to play any role in the promotion of this project. Any participation in it is formal and material cooperation with grave moral evil, and the potential for causing scandal is very high.”

“Multiple sources confirm that the central focus of the campaign is the spread of contraception,” said Michael Hichborn, president of the Lepanto Institute. “There is simply no excuse for any Catholic agency or individual to play any role in the promotion of this project. Any participation in it is formal and material cooperation with grave moral evil, and the potential for causing scandal is very high.”

The Lepanto Institute published a report on the Baho Neza campaign on its website, which can be viewed at the following link: https://www.lepantoin.com/catholic-relief-services-to-help-implement-campaign-centered-on-spreading-contraception-in-rwanda/

“The leadership at CRS get so upset with us for openly criticizing them for their involvement in work such as this,” said Hichborn. “The truth is, thousands of faithful Catholics across the country have informed us that they will no longer contribute to CRS as long as CRS is involved in programs that spread contraception, regardless of their reasons for doing it.”

“We hope that some day CRS will refuse to participate in all such projects and reject partnerships with organizations that are working to spread grave moral evils,” Hichborn added. “But until such time, the Lepanto Institute will continue to recommend to the Catholic faithful that they find another way to help the poor.”

The Lepanto Institute for the Restoration of All Things in Christ is a research and education organization dedicated to the defense of the Catholic Church against assaults from without as well as from within. Founded in 2014, the Lepanto Institute has exposed several instances of Catholic or Catholic-affiliated organizations being directly involved in events or other matters directly contrary to Church teaching.

www.LepantoInstitute.org