AMERICA/COLOMBIA - “The law is not always moral and believers must realise in conscience that abortion is still a crime also in the civil field. The Church punishes it with excommunication" says Cardinal Rubiano Sáenz

Monday, 15 May 2006

Bogota (Fides Service) - After Colombia’s Constitutional Court legalised abortion in that country Cardinal Pedro Rubiano Sáenz Archbishop of Bogota issued a statement recalling that the Church punishes abortion with “immediate excommunication”.
First of all the Cardinal recalled that “it is the Church’s responsibility to intervene in public life to protect and promote respect for human life and the dignity of the human person”, moreover “the principle that human life must be protected from the moment of conception to natural death is inscribed in human nature, is confirmed by the faith, and is inviolable". This is why, the Cardinal said, to prevent abortion which is deliberate killing of a the unborn child in its mother’s womb, the Church punishes it with immediate excommunication (cf. Canon 1398)”.
Cardinal Rubiano Sáenz recalled that the Colombian Constitution states “finality of the law is the good of every human being” and although abortion has been de-penalised by the Court this does “not alter the gravity or the moral judgement of the fact ". The Law is not always moral and believers must realise in conscience that “abortion is still a crime also in the civil field”. Lastly the Cardinal appealedto all Colombians to " have the courage to respect and defend life especially the life of unborn children". (RG) (Agenzia Fides 15/5/2006; righe 17, parole 238)


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