Cura counsellors seek an apology

Four Donegal pregnancy counsellors at the centre of a row with the Crisis Pregnancy Agency (CPA) last year over their refusal to distribute a leaflet on abortion services, are to have their suspension lifted.

The four women, Ann Farren, Mary Kelly, Phil Murray and Pauline Roarty, who volunteered as counsellors with Cura, the Catholic Church's crisis pregnancy counselling service in Letterkenny, are seeking an apology from Cura before they will take up the offer of reinstatement. According to a report in today's Irish Catholic newspaper the four have received letters from Cura telling them of the church's view that they should enter into "a process of reconciliation".

It comes two years after they had raised objections to distributing the Positive Options leaflet. The leaflet, which is published by the State-funded CPA, includes information on abortion services in Britain.

They raised their concerns two years ago with the bishops but in the absence of a response, they wrote to the Irish Catholic in May last year.

The publication of that letter was deemed a breach of confidentiality by Cura and the four volunteers were suspended.