Church in Italy insists on “abortion moratorium”

Jan 30, 2008 / 01:05 am

During an interview on the Italian TV network La7, Cardinal Camillo Ruini, Vicar for the city of Rome, said the Church in Italy continues supporting a “moratorium” on abortion but has not called for a “revolt” against the current law.

“The Church in Italy is not calling for a revolt against law 194 (which legalized abortion in Italy), but it cannot be denied that this is an intrinsically evil norm, which authorizes the death of an innocent human being,” the cardinal said.

He pointed out that one way for respect for life to be recovered in the country is for Italian politicians to read law 194 “in a comprehensive way,” so that the provisions included in the law which oblige the state to take measures to avoid abortions and support pregnant women are applied.  “In fact, these provisions have been forgotten,” Cardinal Ruini said.

“We need to do everything possible to help women to welcome their children,” he went on, recalling that 85,000 abortions have been avoided in Italy in recent years thanks to assistance from Catholic centers.

“The reality of abortion is that it takes the life of a living human being: this is the source of all the problems,” the cardinal stressed.  “Abortion is a drama for the woman, for the man, for the entire family, and therefore the Church’s approach is one of charity in all cases and not hostile persecution.”

Cardinal Ruini responded to questions posed by Giuliano Ferrara, the director of the newspaper “Il Foglio,” which proposed the idea at the beginning of the year of a moratorium on abortion, similar to the moratorium on the death penalty passed by the United Nations.