http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2010/10/29/abortion-is-a-betrayal-of-democracy-says-pope/
Excerpts from full article at below link
Abortion is a betrayal of democracy, says Pope
By Cindy Wooden on Friday, 29 October 2010
Bishops must guide their faithful to use their vote to oppose efforts to legalise abortion and euthanasia, Pope Benedict XVI told bishops from Brazil yesterday.
“Dear brother bishops, to defend life we must not fear hostility or unpopularity, and we must refuse any compromise or ambiguity which might conform us to the world’s way of thinking,” the Pope said during a meeting with bishops from northeast Brazil.
Both of Brazil’s presidential candidates, Dilma Rousseff and Jose Serra, have said they oppose lifting restrictions on abortion, but Brazil’s anti-abortion laws still have been a recurrent theme in the campaign.
While some may claim they support abortion or euthanasia to defend the weak and the poor, “who is more helpless than an unborn child or a patient in a vegetative or terminal state?” he asked.
Certain actions and political policies, such as abortion and euthanasia, are “intrinsically evil and incompatible with human dignity” and cannot be justified for any reason, the Pope said.
“When political positions openly or covertly include plans to decriminalise abortion and euthanasia, the democratic ideal ? which is truly democratic only when it acknowledges and safeguards the dignity of every human person ? is betrayed at its foundations,” Pope Benedict told the bishops.
http://www.catholicherald.co.uk
Excerpts from full article at below link
Abortion is a betrayal of democracy, says Pope
By Cindy Wooden on Friday, 29 October 2010
Bishops must guide their faithful to use their vote to oppose efforts to legalise abortion and euthanasia, Pope Benedict XVI told bishops from Brazil yesterday.
“Dear brother bishops, to defend life we must not fear hostility or unpopularity, and we must refuse any compromise or ambiguity which might conform us to the world’s way of thinking,” the Pope said during a meeting with bishops from northeast Brazil.
Both of Brazil’s presidential candidates, Dilma Rousseff and Jose Serra, have said they oppose lifting restrictions on abortion, but Brazil’s anti-abortion laws still have been a recurrent theme in the campaign.
While some may claim they support abortion or euthanasia to defend the weak and the poor, “who is more helpless than an unborn child or a patient in a vegetative or terminal state?” he asked.
Certain actions and political policies, such as abortion and euthanasia, are “intrinsically evil and incompatible with human dignity” and cannot be justified for any reason, the Pope said.
“When political positions openly or covertly include plans to decriminalise abortion and euthanasia, the democratic ideal ? which is truly democratic only when it acknowledges and safeguards the dignity of every human person ? is betrayed at its foundations,” Pope Benedict told the bishops.
http://www.catholicherald.co.uk
