A Catholic bishop has corrected a statement from a colleague at the weekend stating that Catholic schools in a diocese in Wales would ban Red Nose Day after concerns that cash would be given for abortions. Bishop Mark Jabale, of the diocese of Menevia, Wales quickly released a statement today (Monday 7 March) saying that the ban was based on a simple misunderstanding.

Jabale commented that the Church had been assured that funds raised by Comic Relief would not go to groups supporting abortion.

The new statement was made by the bishop after a co-worker, Father Michael Burke, said at the weekend that pupils in Catholic schools across the diocese were banned from taking part in the huge charity event for the UK and Africa.

Burke had reportedly said that the ban had been forced upon them as guarantees regarding where the money would go could not be given. He said, "The Catholic faith holds all life as sacred. We are anti-abortion."

He said, "We have advised the schools not to raise money for Comic Relief this year because in the past money raised has gone to agencies supporting abortion. The Catholic faith holds all life as sacred. Some Catholic schools in the UK have won the assurance from Comic Relief that any money they contribute will not go to fund abortions and are supporting the cause. We [too] have asked that no money raised should support abortions but they could not give us that assurance. If people want to raise money we would suggest they send any money to organisations such as Cafod [the Catholic Fund for Overseas Development] instead."

However, now Bishop Jabale has issued a statement assuring all Catholics that they need not fear about taking part in Friday’s Red Nose Day festivities.

Jabale reported, "I am afraid there has been a misunderstanding. Comic Relief has assured the Bishops Conference of England and Wales that they would be willing to hand over their books to us to check, so that we could see that they do not support any abortion projects.

"I want to reassure parishioners that they can give money to Comic Relief without worrying that any funds would be given to support something contrary to Catholic teaching."

He added, "Catholics might also wish to give donations to a Catholic charity such as Cafod, which is involved in aid and development work in many countries around the world. Many of our schools have chosen to support Cafod and are very active and generous in supporting the work they do."