Ireland’s bishops are strongly opposing proposed legislation aimed at legalising abortion in cases when it was considered that the health of the mother could be at risk.
The bishop said the Protection of Life during Pregnancy act was a “dramatic and morally unacceptable change to Irish law” that would “make the direct and intentional killing of unborn children lawful”.
The legislation is “unnecessary to ensure that women receive the life-saving treatment they need during pregnancy,” the bishops observed. Existing law allows doctors to take any steps that are medically necessary, even at the risk to the unborn child, to save the life of a mother in a crisis pregnancy.
Asked whether politicians who vote for the bill should be barred from receiving Communion, Cardinal Sean Brady of Armagh replied: “There would be a great reluctance to politicise the Eucharist.”
Countries violating religious freedom
Fifteen nations have been described as “countries of particular concern” (CPCs) because of their “systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom” in the US Commission on International Religious Freedom’s annual report.
The countries are Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Vietnam.
Nigeria’s twin monsters
Insecurity and corruption were described by Cardinal John Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria, as the twin monsters that are threatening the country. He was addressing the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament in Brussels.
According to Cardinal Onaiyekan, extremely high levels of mistrust among the population, were generated by corruption which then gives rise to insecurity.
Cardinal Onaiyekan said: “We are 170 million Nigerians, roughly half are Christians from different denominations and half are Muslims, also of different groups.
“Catholics are still the largest single-faith group in the country, so we have considerable influence and responsibility.”
Pope on the Church that “says Yes”
Rather than emphasising rules, Pope Francis said in a homily while reflecting on the Acts of the Apostles, Christian evangelists should stress “that through the grace of the Lord Jesus we are saved”.
When people recognise Christ’s love, he said, they are prepared to accept the rules of Christian conduct. “It is from this very love that the observance of his commandments is born,” he said.
The Pope said a Church that “says Yes” is naturally more appealing than a Church that “says No”. The Pope said that for someone trusting in God’s love, even saying No is not a negative. The believer, he said, will say: “I will not do this or that because I love the Lord.”
Bishop slams rights suspension
Bishop Julio Cabrera Ovalle of Jalapa has criticised the Guatemalan Government’s decision to suspend four towns’ constitutional rights after violent protests against a Canadian-owned mine. The residents were protesting out of fear that the mine would contaminate water supplies.
The bishop said that while the Government must combat violence, it should do so “without trampling on the rights of communities and without intimidating social and religious leaders who promote peaceful demonstrations following the requirements of the law. It seems the interests of mining companies against the interests of the population are being protected,” he said.
(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)