New law on abortion is disastrous step in history of Spain, bishop warns

Madrid, Spain, Mar 17, 2009 / 20:49 pm

Bishop Demetrio Fernandez of Tarazona in Spain said this week a new law on abortion being debated in the national Congress “is a disastrous and incredible step that lacks protection for the unborn” and is based on a misunderstood concept of freedom that says a mother can kill her innocent child.

In a recent letter, the bishop raised his voice “to denounce this violent and silent massacre that will affect thousands of millions of persons,” and to say that even though the law seeks to convert it into a right, “abortion continues to be a crime and can never be a right for anyone.”

“And we have such a great need for numerous new citizens born from the heart of our homeland!” he said of the plummeting birth rate in Spain.

Bishop Fernandez recalled that it is the duty of the State to protect the lives of the unborn and that “to open a path to these killings is to move towards totalitarianism, whose devastating consequences are unpredictable.”

“Politicians have an enormous responsibility especially in this area. I appeal to their conscience. No politician, of the right or the left, can consider himself to be Christian if he supports this unjust and criminal law,” he warned.

 The bishop praised the “different initiatives in support of life that are emerging and will emerge even more in our society.”  However, he said it was embarrassing that public money would be used for abortion instead of being used to help pregnant women.  “This is really a conspiracy against life, in a mixture of lies, injustice, and complicity in the crime,” he said.

 He called on the faithful to pray on March 25, the Day of the Unborn Child and the feast of the Annunciation of the Lord.

 “The Church proclaims life not death,” he stated.  “The Church has always defended the innocent. One cannot be a disciple of Christ and at the same time support this silent killing.”