Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lima (Agenzia Fides) - Following a sentence from the Constitutional Court with regard to the legalisation and commercialisation of the ‘day after pill’ or ‘emergency oral contraception’ the Catholic Bishops of Peru issued a call to society to continue to work on the permanent task to protect life from conception to natural death. "Life is a gift of God: the hour demands an integral message: defend life everywhere and at all times against injustice."
The Bishops urge parents to educate children to the truth and the meaning of human love and sexuality; they urge teachers to promote education which leads the person to realise his or her dignity and the dignity of others and to respect moral laws, to maturity which leads to self giving in marriage; they remind citizens of the need to be ever more aware of the value of human life; they call on medical staff "to practice firmly objection of conscience to bear courageous witness to the inalienable value of human life"; they remind the authorities of the duty to protect the right to life, the first of all rights, and they call on the media to provide news with honesty and plurality, promoting a culture of life to build a better society of respect for the life and the dignity of every individual. The Bishops conclude expressing the hope “that life will be always welcomed as a gift and accompanied with love in all its stages to save our country from the dark clouds of the culture of death ".
A statement protesting against obstacles to prevent the Church from taking part in the national debate was issued by the Archdiocese of Piura. "We will not be excluded from scientific debate on the grounds of our religious beliefs. This is an act of discrimination and violation of basic rights. When a bishop or any other member of the Catholic church makes available scientific studies they do so with responsibility, to promote clarity on an issue which also has ethical transcendence". The statement recalls “to tell the people that international consensus has denied the abortive affect of the pill is to mislead them". (RG) (Agenzia Fides 27/11/2006; righe 29, parole 413)
