Politics
Wednesday October 3, 2007
See today's LifeSiteNews stories
Catholics in Dominican Republic Plan Offensive Against Abortion
260 Catholic churches will hold anti-abortion protests on same day
By Matthew Cullinan Hoffman
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, October 3, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Catholics in the Dominican Republic are planning a large-scale offensive against the legalization of abortion in the Caribbean nation.
The campaign will begin this Wednesday at 7 pm, with a speech in the capital city of Santo Domingo by the rector of the nation's Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, Roberto Reyna, who was almost aborted on the advice of his mother's doctor. The event will also include speeches by several congressmen who likewise escaped the procedure.
Around 260 Catholic churches throughout the island will hold anti-abortion protests on the same day, placing members at intersections during peak traffic hours.
On October 25, Cardinal Archbishop Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez and the other bishops of the capital city of Santo Domingo will concelebrate mass in the nation's congress, while Catholics form a human chain encircling the building. On the same day, Catholics throughout the island will turn on their headlights during the day to symbolize their rejection of abortion.
The campaign will conclude on October 28th, with a "March for Life" through the capital city of Santo Domingo. Sculptors, singers, and other artists are expected to contribute pro-life works and performances, which will be displayed in front of the congress.
The events are a response to a proposal under review in the nation's congress to repeal the existing penalties for abortion. Current legislation in the Dominican Republic applies penalties to all abortions without exception, although the law is not understood as prohibiting lifesaving measures that could threaten the fetus. Pro-lifers in the country have said that if the measure passes, the Dominican Republic will become "the slaughterhouse of the Caribbean".
"The Church will be out in force against everyone who assaults human life and to achieve this purpose it is prepared to undertake all necessary actions to ensure respect for the inalienable right to life of man and woman," said Bishop Corniel Amaro of the city of Puerto Plato.
Contact Information:
The Embassy of the Dominican Republic in the USA
Email: consular@us.serex.gov.do
Tel: 202-332-6280
Extension 2517: Ambassador Flavio Darío Espinal
Extension 2503: First Secretary (Political Section) Mr. Edgar Aponte
Fax: 202-265-8057
Mailing Address:
1715 22nd Street, NW
Washington DC 2008
The Embassy of the Dominican Republic in Canada
Email: Eduardo J. Tejera, Ambassador: ejtejera@drembassy.org
Phone: 613-569-9893
Fax: 613-569-8673
Mailing Address::
130 Albert Street,
Suite 418
Ottawa, ON K1P 5G4
Canada
Previous LifeSiteNews,com coverage:
Cardinal Denounces Proposal to Legalize Abortion in the Dominican Republic
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/sep/07091002.html
Dominican Republic Protest Against Attempt to Legalize Abortion
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/aug/07082409.html
Dominican Republic Refuses to Legalize Abortion for Rape Victims
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/jul/06072704.html
Pope States the Family is one of the "Fundamental Objectives of New Evangelization" (Address to Bishops of the Dominican Republic)
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/jul/07070501.html
Back to TopSHARE THIS STORY: E-mail Print Newsvine Digg Reddit Del.icio.us Facebook
Latest Headlines
- Movie Reviewer for Catholic Bishops' Conference Praises Homosexualist Film - Again
- Vatican Attacked for Defending Natural Family
- Shock: Evangelical Leader Believes in Gay Civil Unions, Says OK to Vote for Obama
- U.K. Catholic Diocese will Continue to Collect Funds for Secularised Adoption Agency
- Too Much Television, Internet Linked to Long-Term Health Problems for Children
- Pro-Abortion Cherie Blair to Speak at Prominent Pontifical University of St. Thomas in Rome
- UK Bishops’ Document on Homosexuality Praised by Prominent Anti-Catholic Homosexualist
- Interview: "The Proposed Coalition Government is Very Very Scary" Says Canadian Pro-Life Leader
- Abortionist Pleads No Contest to Felonies, Faces up to 10 Years in Jail
Most Read this Week
- Behind the Scenes of Volition: Coincidences and Startling Circumstances
- Ad Showing Woman Seducing Santa Promotes Free Morning-After Pills and Condoms for Christmas
- A Painful, Disease-Ridden Death Isn’t So Bad if You’re Just a White, Heterosexual Male
- Abortion Now Number One Cause of Death in Spain
- UK Catholic Adoption Agencies Voluntarily Refuse Religious Opt-Out Clause for Homosexual Adoption
- Catholic Bishop: "Go Right Ahead and Arrest Me" Rather than Obey Freedom of Choice Act
- God is Pro-Choice Says Nun
- University of Calgary Pro-Life Students Victorious - Administration Backs Down from Arrest Threats
- IKEA’s Polish Catalogue Introduces “Ian and Steve” as a Model of the New Family
- Australian Health Minister Fires Men’s Health Ambassador for Documenting Risks of Homosexuality
MORE NEWS: 
LifeSiteNews.com Home Page Last 10 Days Archives Special Reports
Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.