Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Santo Domingo (Agenzia Fides) - With many initiatives to increase awareness and mobilise young people and adults, the Catholic Church in the Dominican Republic continues to strongly object to the de-penalisation of abortion, Fr. Luis Rosario Peña, Coordinator of the Bishops' Commission for youth pastoral told Fides. The drafting and approval of a new Penal Code in the country, discussed by the government and sent to parliament led to the introduction of discussion on abortion, presenting various arguments in favour of this criminal act and proposing its legalisation in cases of violence, deformity of the foetus or danger for the life of the mother.
The Church responded throughout the country with initiatives in all eleven dioceses. The 25th national Pastoral Meeting held 10 to 13 October involved all the instances of the Church in this effort to prevent the legalisation of abortion.
Initiatives organised by the archdiocese of Santo Domingo include: headlight on in all vehicles all day Thursday 25 October, as a sign pro life; 25 October a pro life march for school children and students to the National Congress where the marchers will form a circle holding hands around the building in an Embrace with the National Congress; afternoon parade with black flags with the words No to Abortion; Sunday 28, March pro Life which will close with the celebration of Mass.
Cardinal Nicolás de Jesús López Rodríguez will address the National Congress today after the March and on Sunday he will speak to the nation on radio and television on the gravity of the threat to de-penalise abortion.
Other activities include radio and TV programmes, press conferences, workshops demonstrate the efforts of the Church to prevent his crime from becoming legal. Fr. Luis Rosario said in this effort the Catholic community has been joined by the main protestant communities. This weekend Santo Domingo Wet municipality is organising an anti-abortion march. Presidential candidates of the reform and revolutionary parties have said they are against the de-penalisation of abortion, and the same has been declared by several legislators, MPs and senators.
“We are doing all this to help our people understand the gravity of the de-penalisation of abortion - Fr. Luis Rosario concludes-. The local Catholic Church will continue this battle to the end since at stake is a primary value to be protected: the right to life which is a sacred gift ". (RG) (Agenzia Fides 25/10/2007, righe 35, parole 467)
