Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Buenos Aires (Agenzia Fides) - The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Argentina in a statement regarding various proposals to de-penalise the crime of abortion by introducing regulations regarding so-called "non punishable abortion", have reaffirmed with conviction “abortion is never the answer". The statement was signed by Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires and Primate of Argentina, president of the Bishops' Conference standing council and by the two vice presidents Archbishop Luis Héctor Villalba of Tucumán and Bishop Agustín Roberto Radrizzani SDB of Colline di Zamora.
"As shepherds entrusted with the People of God and as citizens committed to promoting the common good - the statement reads - we reaffirm that the right to life is the first natural right of every human person. A right which exists before any positive legislation and is guaranteed by Argentina's Constitution". The bishops recall "there are no norms in our legislation which authorise governments or legislators of the provinces or of the city of Buenos Aires to pass laws on such fundamental issues" … just as "there are no administrative acts or norms to exclude from the control of the magistrates the examination of a case in which the right to life is in danger". The Bishops restate with firmness that abortion is "never the answer. The choice must always be for life" and they appeal to "all Argentineans to support initiatives to defend the right to life and they urge legislators to defend the nation's Constitution".
The Bishops Conference's Commission for the Family also issued a statement on the matter affirming "from the moment of conception each human person has rights which are recognised by the national Constitution and other national laws " therefore "abortion is always a crime even if in some cases it does not incur in sanctions of law, the crime remains". (RG) (Agenzia Fides 6/6/2007; righe 22, parole 310)
