Against abortion, Sri Lankan bishops set day for unborn children
Colombo (AsiaNews) - The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Sri Lanka (CSCSL) is dedicating next Sunday, 11 November, to unborn children to protest a government's plan to legalise abortion. As part of their action, the bishops will urge the faithful in each diocese, especially teenagers, young people, families and doctors, to pray and organise meetings to raise awareness about the issue. The CBCSL has also decided to raise funds in each parish to devolve to single mothers and to mothers who might be considering having an abortion. "If such a proposal does go before parliament, we shall peacefully protest against it, wearing a black band."
In his draft bill, Child Development and Women's Affairs Minister Tissa Karaliyadda is "limiting" abortion to minors victim of rape, pregnancies resulting from incest or in cases in which the foetus is physically deformed.
"For the Church, aborting the foetus, even if it is the result of rape or incest, or if it is deformed, is a terrible murder of an innocent human being, who is voiceless and defenceless. For this reason, we condemn in no uncertain terms such a process of legalisation, even when it involves exceptional cases that might attract the empathy and solidarity of people."
"Each abortion is a refusal of life, a criminal interference that violates God's plans for every human being," the prelate said. "The Church has always condemned abortion. Whatever the justification behind such an act, it must be considered a grave sin, indefensible by every institution and every individual."
Even though abortion is illegal in the country, the Sri Lanka Family Health Bureau, which was set up by the Health Ministry, has recorded a rising number of cases. In 2008, some 700 were performed every day for a total of 250,000 a year. Last year, this was up to a thousand a day for a total of 300,000 a year.
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