Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rancagua (Agenzia Fides) - “Protection of life at every stage is an essential value for human life and human dignity” said Bishop Alejandro Goic Karmelic of the diocese of Rancagua and president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Chile, in a statement with regard to the government’s decision to issue the ‘day after pill’ to all medical centres for free distribution to girls over 14 even without parental permission. The decree was signed on 30 January by Chile’s president Michelle Bachelet despite protests by the local Catholic Church and various pro-life associations and groups. The measure will address the problem of teenage pregnancies. MP Carlos Olivares said the distribution of the day after pill is not a solution indeed "instead of preventing, it will only increase teenage pregnancies and the spread of AIDS".
In the statement the Bishop said that despite dissent voiced by the Chilean Bishops and many experts and institutions with regard to National Norms for Fertility Regulation (see Fides 11/1/2007), the government “says it intends to apply a measure which unilaterally responds to partial vision of the human person and society” adopting a public policy “ignoring a large part of Chilean public opinion".
The Bishop said that for such norms to be effective “they must be based on the nature and dignity of the human person and they must be the result of dialogue at all levels involving different sectors of society also those which reflect on the human person and the transcendent dimension”. The local Church, naturally concerned at the phenomenon of teenage pregnancies, insists that this is not the solution the country deserves, “because it attacks human life when it is most helpless”. The Bishops cannot fail to raise their voices to protect lives in danger. “Could we do otherwise, considering our claim to be consistent with the Gospel” Bishop Goic asks and he conclude call for "mature and serene discernment in this situation which is a step backwards in protection of life, and to increase efforts to intensify family dialogue, education to love, commitment and witness to promote respect for human life and human dignity". (RG) (Agenzia Fides 2/2/2007; righe 31, parole 451)
