Cardinal Keith O'Brien, leader of Scotland's Roman Catholics, called for a boycott of the UK National Lottery after it was revealed that the National Lottery gave £3.3 million (US$6.3 million) to Brook Advisory Centers and the FPA (Family Planning Association) both of which support abortions as a means of family planning.
A total of 17 awards worth £1.7 million (US$3.3 million) have been made to Brook Advisory Centers and eight grants totaling £1.6 million (US$3.1 million) have gone to the FPA.
Cardinal O'Brien said: "I am quite staggered at the volume of funds provided to these agencies, which is in stark contrast to the lack of support for organizations offering alternative approaches.
"As far as I am aware - across the UK - rates of teenage conceptions, sexually transmitted infections and abortions continue to rise."
He added, "In short, we are left facing the single incontrovertible fact that all our current approaches have failed.
"Yet we continue to fund on an enormous scale the very work which has so demonstrably failed."
The cardinal's criticism comes after Conservative leader Michael Howard backed a reduction in abortion time limits.
Mr Howard, in an interview to be published later, risks angering pro-abortion groups by saying the current situation is "tantamount to abortion on demand".
The National Lottery has raised more than £16 billion (US$30.7 billion) which has benefited 180,000 organizations over the past decade.
A spokeswoman for the Big Lottery Fund, which distributes the cash to causes it deems "good," said, "We are open to everyone who wants to apply for lottery funding and we respect the right of individuals to decide whether or not they purchase lottery tickets or apply for lottery grants.
"Information on grants is publicly available, which allows people to make a informed choice."
FPA probably only got small changes compared to similar organisations run and supported financially by the rich catholic church, so I think they deserve the money.
Not even cash v annuity is as controversial.
FPA probably only got small changes compared to similar organisations run and supported financially by the rich catholic church, so I think they deserve the money.
Nice to see a church boycott a lottery for reasons other than being a lottery.