This week, Argentina’s Senate began debating an historic abortion bill passed by the lower house Chamber of Deputies last month.
In June, the Chamber of Deputies backed a bill decriminalizing abortion during the first 14 weeks of pregnancy, and beyond that in cases where the infant would not survive after birth, by 129 votes to 125.
A final debate on the matter will be held on August 8th.
Argentina's 72 Senators are largely opposed to the abortion bill, although 10 have not yet publicly revealed their stance.
Conservative President Mauricio Macri pushed the bill through Parliament despite making it clear he opposed women's right to choose to interrupt their pregnancy.
Anti-abortion protesters, backed by Argentina's Bishops, were due to hand over thousands of signatures to Senators on Tuesday, asking them to reject the bill.
At the same time, pro-choice protesters were due to take to the streets with banners and music to express their support.
Eight years ago, despite strong Church opposition, Argentina became the first country in Latin America to legalize same-sex marriage.
It is estimated that between 370,000 and 520,000 Argentine women have abortions in illegal and unsafe conditions every year. Currently, women are allowed to have abortions only when the mother's life is at risk, or when pregnancy was the result of rape.
Abortion remains mostly illegal in Latin America. Only in Uruguay and Cuba is it entirely legal, as well as in Mexico City, the capital of Mexico. In most countries, it is permitted only in cases of rape and where there is a threat to the life of the mother or if the fetus is disabled.
In El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua — traditionally Catholic countries but where Protestantism and atheism are on the rise -- abortion remains completely banned.
Pope Francis has remained strangely silent while the debate in his homeland rages on.
Perhaps, the Holy Father has been too distracted by his concern with migrants and climate change.
It is interesting to note what a reader pointed out to me just recently. He wrote: “I think I understand now why there are so many attacks against the Church. If the moral voice of the Church can be weakened, better yet silenced, opposition will be weakened as well against aberrations such as homosexuality, transgenderism, euthanasia and all the other moral perversions with which society seems bent on promoting.”
If the reader is correct (and I suspect there is quite a bit of truth in his observation), it is even more critical that the voice of the Vicar of Christ be clear and consistent in decrying abortion as a sin that cries out to God.
If the Church, in the person of the Successor of Peter, will not stand before the culture of death and expose it for what it is, pure narcissism and licentiousness, who will?
And who will counsel the generations of those yet to be born who will come into a world where abortion and other forms of psycho-sexual dysfunction are the norm?
Dear Pope Francis, if not for loyalty to your country of origin, then for the future of the Church and civilized society please call your homeland to its senses and lift your voice in defense of the innocent unborn now threatened with death.
Please, Holy Father, and now!
No comments:
Post a Comment