Bishops warn of proposals aiming to legalize abortion in Argentina

Buenos Aires, Argentina, Nov 17, 2003 / 22:00 pm

As the Bishops Conference of Argentina concluded their 86th General Assembly, the Argentinean prelates published a message in which they warn of the existence of “proposed laws that aim to legalize the horrendous crime of abortion” and underline the necessity for “laws that promote life.”

After the six day-long meeting, the bishops published a document entitled, “Family: Communion of Love, Responsibility of All,” in which they said, “The family is founded on matrimony, which Christ also elevated to the dignity of sacrament, constituted by a stable, lasting union between a man and a woman who share a common mission open to new life.  For this reason no other type of union can be an equivalent.”

The bishops also write that “lawmakers should carry out their work with serene analysis open to life and respectful of the common good of society, conscientious likewise of the educational value that laws have.”

“A just law ennobles and promotes society.  We emphasize this because of our concern for the existence of proposed laws that aim to legalize the horrendous crime of abortion,” they added.

The bishops also say that “in the growth process of human life, we consider unacceptable those laws that tend to impose sex-ed curriculums in schools without any reference to moral and religious values and without taking into account the natural and primary rights of parents in the education of their children”

The bishops praise “the beauty of the family,” which they say deserves the title of “sanctuary of life.”  “Human life, a precious and sacred reality, should be respected from conception to natural death.  This is clearly stated in our national Constitution and in many provincial constitutions as well,” they write.

The bishops also lamented the “negative influence that much of the media has on families,” and they called on those responsible to use the media to promote “authentic values that sustain the family” and to reject those that “harm the family in any way.”   

They also recognized that poor preaching, catechesis and education have translated into neglect for the needs of the family.  Similar affects have resulted from dissent from the Church’s moral teaching, the lack of consideration of issues fundamental to family life, such as conjugal chastity, and mutual respect among family members, especially for women.  “It pains us to see that some difficult situations are not treated with a sufficient spirit of mercy.”