Ecuadoran laity council denounces constitutional reform in support of legal abortion

Quito, Ecuador, Jul 9, 2008 / 19:38 pm

The Ecuadoran Council of Lay Catholics criticized the reform of the Constitution being carried out by the Constitutional Assembly for supporting abortion, and it has demanded that members of the Assembly change any clauses that would “legalize abortion in our country.”

The Council pointed out that while Catholics have put forth proposals in favor of the family and human life, which were supported by over 700,000 signatures. The Council asserted that assembly members have “assaulted the sensibilities of Catholic people” by imposing pro-abortion articles on the Constitution.

The Council pointed to a section of the proposed reform entitled “Civil Rights,” which states in reference to “reproductive rights”  that “all persons have the right to make free, responsible and informed decisions about their health and reproductive life and to decide when and how many children to have.”  It said the language used leaves the door open for legalized abortion.

The Laity Council also explained that the right to life would depend on “the reproductive rights of the mother;” if she decides “to conceive and continue with the pregnancy, the baby would receive protection and care,” but “if she decides to abort there would obviously be no one to protect or care for,” the Council stated.

“Consequently, what is guaranteed from the moment of conception is not the life of the unborn, but rather their ‘protection and care,’ as long as they are alive through the will of the mother,” it said.

“We demand Assembly members acknowledge the will of the Catholic people and change these texts with which they intend to underhandedly legalize abortion in our country,” the Council stated.