Friday 10th September 2004

The President
Pontifical Academy of Sciences
Casina Pio IV,
V-00120 VATICAN CITY
TEL. 39 06 6988 3195
FAX 39 06 6988 5218
E-MAIL academy.sciences@acdscience.va
RE: Conference: "Feeding a Hungry World: The Moral Imperative of Biotechnology".
September 24, 2004, Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, Italy.
Organised by USA Embassy to the Holy See in cooperation with
The Pontifical Academy of Sciences.

We, the Columban Centre for Peace Ecology & Justice, have major concerns with this Conference :

1. The Danger of Scandal – We feel that the Pontifical Academy of Sciences is being used by the USA Embassy to the Holy See to endorse Genetically Modified (GM) Foods for economic and political purposes. We are reminded of the 2003 Vatican scandal caused by the words of Cardinal Martino as reported in the worldwide media.

2. Other Voices on GM – The Conference lacks representation from other agencies, such as Bishops’ Committees, Catholic agencies working with the hungry, and groups who are opposed to GM food.

3. Biased Agenda – The agenda is biased. The list of speakers and topics presumes a moral imperative for using GM foods, and further, the last agenda item suggests that any opposition to the pro-GM position propagates myths. Myth seems to be used here in a pejorative sense.

4. GM Corporation Lobby – GM Corporations are recognized as big businesses whose main purpose is profit and market share. The presence as a speaker at the Conference of Dr C.S. Prakash, a lobbyist for international GM corporations, gives a forum for a spectacular Public Relations coup.

5. Respect for all Living Things – We are committed to promoting the integrity of creation. We believe in respect for all living things and their interdependence. That the Conference agenda fails to address the impact of bio-technology on the whole web of life is a grave omission:

a) The manipulation of life-forms and the consequent patenting of life through GM technologies is abhorrent to most cultures;
b) Science does not know the long-term consequences of the crossing of genetic material between unrelated species or of the manipulation of life-forms. The precautionary principle as used in health issues should be invoked;
c) The creation and proliferation of vectors for the genetic engineering process creates a greater likelihood of viruses crossing species ;

6. Ultimately, Poverty is at the root of Hunger and Malnutrition - Credible groups of scientists and economists maintain that people are hungry because they live in poverty, not because there is not enough food in the world. In fact, the push from GM crops by a small number of powerful countries and companies is driven more by financial profit than a desire to feed the hungry.

In Australia, a coalition of secular and religious people have had some success in opposing companies who promote GM food stuffs. The well funded Public Relations campaign of bio-technology corporations is powerful, even buying off the leaders of farm groups and scientists with promises of research grants. Poor developing countries do not have the resources or expertise to mount such opposition. It would be a tragedy if Catholic Church leaders abandoned these poor countries.

We note that the Statutes of the Academy were approved in 1976, before much of the scientific knowledge on GM emerged, and before substantive moral pronouncements on Life by Pope John Paul 11, the Catholic Catechism and Conferences of Bishops. The perspective of the Academy as expressed in its Statutes may need updating in light of recent Catholic moral and spiritual teaching on respect for Life.

We believe that the introduction of GM crops and food stuffs on the pretext of feeding the hungry is wrong. It raises serious moral, spiritual and environmental issues and puts the control of food resources into the hands of profit-driven corporations.

We are registering our opposition to any endorsement of genetically modified foods by any Vatican body, including the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.

Yours in the Risen Christ

Mrs Anne Lanyon, Coordinator, Columban Centre for Peace, Ecology and Justice.
Staff members: Rev. Charles Rue, Rev. John Evans, Rev. Brendan Hoban.

REFERENCES

http://vatican.usembassy.it/Policy/Events/biotech.asp
Sean McDonagh The Vatican and GE Food (Genetically Engineered). The document is attached.
Desmond Nicholl Introduction to Genetic Engineering second edition, UK: Cambridge Press 1994/2002;
This book carries one grave warning - be careful about the cultivation of Ti plasmaids as vectors in gene
transfer technology as they are more than likely to prove to be uncontrollable resulting in dangerous viruses
jumping species. Yves Tourte Genetically Modified Organisms: Transgenesis in Plants Enfield, USA:
Science Publications (French original) 2003.