Mexican bishops say morning after pill is “lethal weapon”

Mexico City, Mexico, Jul 20, 2005 / 22:00 pm

Several Mexican bishops have denounced the possible inclusion of the morning after pill in government sponsored health plans, calling it a “lethal weapon against the innocent.”

In an editorial published in the Archdiocese of Mexico’s newspaper Desde la Fe, the bishops called the decision by the Department of Health to distribute the pill irresponsible, and they dismissed criticism that the Church is out-of-touch for defending human life and the dignity of the person.

“The wrong decision by authorities is leading to a moral and social degradation, the costs of which we are already paying in a society that has become increasingly inhumane.  It is not by distributing contraceptives in bulk that we will resolve the health problems related to sexuality, because this activity is not merely genital, but is rather an integral part of the person,” they added.

In Mexico City after Sunday Mass, Cardinal Norberto Rivera questioned the decision by Health Minister Julio Frenk to only follow the advice of the World Heath Organization and hastily allow the distribution of the pill.  “This is a measure which Mexico does not need.  There is no reason to place such a weapon in the hands of people in order to kill the innocent,” he noted.

Although the cardinal warned that the decision “is very dangerous because it has been proven that this morning after pill can be abortifacient,” he expressed hope that there could be a dialogue with Frenk about the issue.

“We want decisions to be made that are reasonable, once dialogue has taken place.  This is not about a power struggle, we know that they are the ones with power, that they are running the government and can impose these decisions,” he stated.

For his part, Bishop Jose Guadalupe Martin of Guadalupe, President of the Bishops’ Conference of Mexico, called on President Vicente Fox to an examination of conscience about the decision, “because if he is Catholic, he will have to give an account for betraying his faith when he goes to meet God.”