Quebec City, Canada, Jun 1, 2005 / 22:00 pm
The Quebec bishops met Wednesday with Education Minister Jean-Marc Fournier and a parliamentary committee to discuss a bill, which would replace Catholic and Protestant religious instruction in public schools with a religious culture and ethics program by 2008.
The bishops were one of about 20 groups that presented before the committee. The bishops' statement was under embargo and should be released shortly.
The hearings were held in Quebec City May 31 to June 2.
The education minister had introduced the new bill May 4. The Assembly of Quebec Catholic Bishops had expressed its disappointment with the bill.