The grilling of Catholic Church representatives at a UN hearing on torture this week highlighted the tensions between the Holy See and its secular liberal critics. Twenty years on from the Cairo conference on population and development, a theologian makes a plea for greater understanding Anumber of regional conferences have been held this year by the United Nations to review the 20-year programme of action adopted at its 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). Catholic teaching on social and economic issues has much to contribute to this process of international policymaking, and the Church has an outstanding record of service to the poor through its work in health care, education and pastoral support.  Nevertheless, the Catholic Church is widely re