Politics
Monday September 10, 2007
See today's LifeSiteNews stories
Cardinal Denounces Proposal to Legalize Abortion in the Dominican Republic
Says Supporters of the Measure Are Either "Sick", "Hypocritical", or "Comedians"
By Matthew Cullinan Hoffman
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, September 10, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com)--The Cardinal Archbishop of Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic, lashed out last week at politicians and groups agitating to legalize abortion in the country.
When asked about a recent proposal to legalize abortion for "therapeutic" purposes, he shot back: "No, no abortion, there is nothing more to say."
"No one has the right to kill anyone and some of us are sick, some are hypocrites, some comedians who are protesting against the violence that exists in society and we kill this unfortunate person who has been in his mother's womb for four or five months with the legal authorization of a doctor," he continued. "He is the most defenseless of all, and therefore he must have a massive defense from the society."
He added that even if the whole world approves abortion, "they are all irresponsible", including the United Nations. "Thou shalt not kill is a biblical verse that must be respected," he said.
Cardinal Nicolas De Jesus Lopez Rodriguez has never been hesitant to express his opinions about abortion supporters. In the past he has referred to them as "charlatans", "impostors", "shameless" and "merchants".
On the same day, the president of the Dominican Republic's Chamber of Deputies (the lower house of their legislature), Julio Cesar Valentin, stated his support for legalizing "therapeutic abortion". In making his announcement to the press, he used the familiar strategy of using "hard cases" as a wedge for introducing the practice, giving the example of a child who had been impregnated by her grandfather.
In this case, he said, he was a "revolutionary" and "it doesn't matter what impact or damage that my opinion may cause".
"I know the case of a grandfather who raped his granddaughter. The potential child who will be born, this man will be the father and great-grandfather. What a disaster, if that is human and that is Christian, alleluia," he said. He was joined in his statement by the president of Fundación Cruz Jiminian, an organization in the Dominican Republic that aids the poor.
The Dominican Republic's legislature is currently in the beginning stages of overhauling the country's penal code, which currently prohibits all abortions, although life-saving measures that could endanger the life of the fetus are regarded as legal. During the process, proposals have been made to legalize abortions for "therapeutic" purposes, a term that is ostensibly based on the mother's health but in reality can be used to justify practically any abortion.
Two sets of hearings have been held in which the public was invited to give comments to a committee of the Chamber of Deputies, which have provoked national protests.
Related LifeSiteNews coverage:
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.