Photo: Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia watches as Pope Francis addresses the General Assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life on 5 October 2017. ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images
In a recent comment piece commissioned by the Catholic Herald I addressed the clamour of concern raised in the Catholic media at some of the recent appointments to the Pontifical Academy for Life. One was reported as having tweeted several times in a way that implicitly supported access to abortion. Another was reported as publicly criticising the overturning of Roe v Wade by the US Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health. The conclusion to be drawn seemed evident enough: the Academy had redefined its mission since it was founded by John Paul II. The Academy has responded, and taken issue with the sources I consulted. From the information provided I will offer what will be – in part – a public response from the Academy to the controversy, through its press officer Fabrizio Mastrofini. In an email to me he took “the opportunity to better present the work that the Pontifical Academy for Life does”.
