AMERICA/BRAZIL - Week for the Defence and Promotion of Life in view of proposed Bill to legalise abortion in Brazil at any time in pregnancy

Brasilia (Agenzia Fides) - October 8 in Brazil will be the annual national Day of the Unborn Child established by the Bishops of Brazil in 2005 at the end of their 43rd general assembly. In the statement the Bishops asked for the Day to be prepared with a national Week for the defence and promotion of Life with discussions, reflections and concrete proposals to protect the life of the unborn child.
To mark this annual recurrence Catholics all over Brazil are taking part in various initiatives. For example on 8 October the archdiocese of Vitoria will celebrate a Day in Honour of Life, with workshops, conferences, theatre, music poetry.... with a closing Mass presided by Archbishop Luiz Mancilha Vilela. The Family Pastoral commission of the archdiocese of Aparecida has organised a special Mass for the Week for Life 7 October at 7pm at San Antonio Cathedral and on 20 October a conference against the proposed bill to legalise abortion.
Various Pro-Life organisations in Brazil have launched a campaign urging "everyone who understands the value of human life" to join since the Brazilian parliament is about to vote again with regard to a new law to legalise abortion at any time during pregnancy. The Bill failed to pass in 2005 thanks to pressure from the Brazilian people openly in favour of life and against the legalisation of abortion. However the Bill, presented again early this year by MP José Genoíno, will be put to the vote by the national congress in the coming weeks. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 1/10/2007; righe 22; parole 299)