Holy See denies political meddling by Pope in Mexico abortion controversy

Vatican City, Apr 26, 2007 / 08:06 am

The sub-director of the Holy See’s Press Office, Father Ciro Benedettini, denied this week that Pope Benedict XVI meddled in Mexican politics by sending a letter to the country’s bishops expressing his concern over a proposed law that was passed this week legalizing abortion in Mexico City.

“This is not the first time there has been such a pronouncement,” Father Benedettini said, “because in matters like these the Pope cannot help but intervene, although he does so as a Catholic leader and not as a head of State.”

When the Holy Father “makes a pronouncement, it is not for the advantage of the Vatican or of the Church, but rather for the benefit of the nation he is addressing, because the issue is the defense of universal and transcendent values,” he said.

When it comes to issues such as abortion or euthanasia, Father Benedettini continued, the Pope “looks at the ethics and not the politics” and he intervenes regarding what he considers to be “unrenounceable values.”  Likewise, he underscored that the Holy See always condemns “all attacks against life.”

Several days ago, the Bishops’ Conference of Mexico made public a letter from Pope Benedict XVI expressing his support of the campaign for life in Mexico and against the legalization of abortion.  Leftist lawmakers attacked the letter, calling on the government to issue a “statement of protest” against the Pope’s supposed meddling in Mexican politics.

On Tuesday the Legislative Assembly of Mexico City legalized abortion up to the twelfth week of pregnancy, despite protests from the Catholic Church and pro-life groups, who are preparing to challenge the law’s constitutionality.