By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Writer As expected, President Barack Obama rescinded the "Mexico City Policy", a policy which blocked funding for international organizations that practiced or promoted abortion worldwide, prompting swift reaction from the worldwide community. "If this is one of President Obama's first acts," said Monsignor Rino Fisichella, head of the Vatican's Pontifical Academy for Life, in an interview with Corriere della Sera , " I have to say, in all due respect, that we're heading quickly toward disappointment." He urged Obama to listen to all voices in America without "the arrogance of those who, being in power, believe they can decide [matters] of life and death." The Mexico City Policy was first implemented by President Reagan in 1984 at a United Nations population conference in Mexico City, thus the name Mexico City policy. This policy halts U.S. family planning funds from going to foreign non-governmental organizations such as the International Planned Parenthood Federation that perform abortions or “actively promote” abortion as a method of family planning in other countries. “Actively promoting” abortions means they not only give advice and encourage women to have abortions, they also lobby foreign governments to legalize abortion and conduct other kinds of public information campaigns to promote abortion.   In 1993, President Bill Clinton rescinded the policy and for eight years, hundreds of millions of dollars flowed overseas through these groups under the auspices of helping women get out of poverty and better their lives in third world nations. However, what was discovered is that some groups that promote abortion, such as the United Nation’s Population Fund (UNFPA), were actually working alongside authorities in China who were responsible for enforcing that country’s draconian one-child policy. One of the first actions of George W. Bush when he became President in 2001 was to restore the policy which effectively cut off funding for the next eight years.  On Jan. 23, 2009, President Barack Obama signed an executive order to once again rescind the policy. According to Tom McCluskey, Vice President for Government Affairs at the Family Research Council, explained, “The effect of President Obama rescinding the Mexico City Policy is that now millions of dollars are taken away from family planning groups that do not promote abortion, and delivered into the hands of organizations that are the most militant in promoting abortion as a population-control method - especially in countries that find abortion objectionable on moral grounds.” Father Thomas Euteneuer, president of Human Life International agrees. “"We are disgusted, but we are not surprised. President Obama's signature . . . ensured that American dollars will, with no mandate from the taxpayer, fund abortions in the developing world, in countries that are historically and deeply pro- life."   "The way in which the president signed this order is telling," said Father Euteneuer. "It was pure cowardice. Friday afternoons are when politicians release decisions that they know are embarrassing or shameful. President Obama knows that this is shameful, but he needs to placate those who got him into office." © All Rights Reserved, Living His Life Abundantly/Women of Grace. http://www.womenofgrace.com