Sao Paulo, Brazil, Oct 22, 2010 / 18:14 pm
Bishop Luis Gonzaga Bergonzini from the Diocese of Guarulhos, Brazil has promised to continue defending the unborn despite receiving “an anonymous letter” threatening his life.
In a letter sent to his brother bishops, Bishop Gonzaga explained that since July of this year he has spoken out against Brazilian President Lula da Silva and the party's current presidential candidate, Dilma Rousseff, due to their support of legalized abortion.
Rousseff has voiced her support of legalized abortion on various occasions. However, as part of her strategy for the Oct. 31 runoff elections, she has said she is “personally opposed to abortion” and has promised that if elected president, she will not sent proposals to Congress to legalize the procedure.
Her change in stance has failed to convince many Brazilian pro-lifers.
Bishop Gonzaga maintained that his actions and words defending life “are based on my conscience and the Gospel” and that he has never endorsed any specific candidate. “I don’t have any intention of creating controversy, I just want to make my position as bishop clear, in defense of the Church and of God’s commandments.”
The bishop also shared that he received “an anonymous letter” threatening his life. He said the letter is currently in the hands of the police.
Other sources have indicated that other bishops in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo received similar threats.
Statements denouncing the Workers’ Party abortion agenda have caused a stir at the Brazilian bishops’ conference, where figures such as Bishop Demetrio Valentini of Jales, a well-known follower of Marxist liberation theology, have pressured Bishop Bergonzini to end his criticism.
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