2 comments so far.“Let us protect every human life with great care” – Bishops
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The Bishops of Malta and Gozo have issued a Pastoral Note regarding the proposed amendment to the law on the termination of pregnancy – “Let us protect every human life with great care”- The Pastoral Note will be read in all parishes across the Maltese Islands over this weekend.
The Bishops said that, “the proposed amendment introduces something new. It also speaks of situations in which it is not the mother’s life that is in danger, but her health, and proposes that health can be safeguarded by killing a new human life. This means abortion.”
The Pastoral Note is shown in full below:
“The Feast of the Immaculate Conception which we shall celebrate next Thursday, 8th December, is a very dear feast to us Maltese. It is a feast that gives an important message even by its very name which has such great meaning – “conception” – as it reminds us that we celebrate Mary from the moment of her conception. She is without stain from the first moment of her conception. This same feast is a clear declaration that human life is precious from the first moment of its conception.
“When we speak of caring for life from the first moment of conception, and of the respect towards the dignity of this life that has started, we do not speak in this way because our faith tells us that there is human life from conception, or because the Church tells us so. It is science that tells us this. Even a scan of the baby in the womb shows the gradual development of the human life when the baby has not yet been born. In the womb there is someone, not something. What faith tell us is to
cherish this life that has started because every life is a gift of God.
“In the light of this, we wish to express our great preoccupation with respect to the amendment that is currently being discussed in parliament and which, if approved, will introduce abortion to Malta.
“The proposed amendment does not only speak of a situation in which a mother is in danger of dying because of her pregnancy. We know that when there is this sort of danger, doctors always try to save the mother and the baby, and when they are not successful in saving both of them, they save the mother. Whenever this has happened over the years, legal problems were never created for the mothers or the doctors. There was no need for the law to be changed for the mother to be saved
were she in danger of dying.
“However, the proposed amendment introduces something new. It also speaks of situations in which it is not the mother’s life that is in danger, but her health, and proposes that health can be safeguarded by killing a new human life. This means abortion.
“The experience of a number of countries shows that abortion was introduced precisely because of the use of this word ‘health,’ as is being proposed in the amendment. This is a very serious matter. We know that when health requires treatment, every type of treatment necessary should be given, and when the mother needs help, she should be given all the support that she needs.
However, a human life should not be killed to safeguard somebody’s health. When respect for the dignity of the baby in the womb is denied, the foundation of respect for the dignity of each human being – including that of the woman and the professional – is destroyed.
“We wish to express our wholehearted appeal for our voice to be heard clearly in favour of the protection of life at each of its moments – from the first moment of conception to its natural end, and at each of its moments. We also make a special appeal to those who bear the great responsibility of taking a decision regarding the amendment, so that their choice will be in favour of life and not in favour of death.
“We beseech our Mother Mary, Immaculate Conception, who always reminds us of life that starts from conception, to intercede for us and to help us always protect each human life with great care.”
+ Charles J. Scicluna – Archbishop of Malta+ Anton Teuma – Bishop of Gozo
+ Joseph Galea-Curmi – Auxiliary Bishop of Malta.
With all due respect to the Rev Bishops, I do remember vividly when I was young, the Church used to teach us that when there is an “Issue” between saving the Mother or Child living”, then the choice should be with the child.
This theory in latter years was denied but what has been said & thought to us as children, I still remember vividly.
When doing so I used to ask “Who will be taking care of the children?”
When any new initiation whenever it was taken by Labour, the Officials in the Clergy always and in each innovation came out against, such as these did with others about the I.V.F. which now proved how much of utmost important it was to many married couples who didn’t have children.
Now we are once again quoting “Abortion” when no word Abortion was mentioned.
Married & Cohabiting Couples want & wish to have children and grow a Family, so why all this hassle & unfair predictions about Abortion when this issue is not included in the proposed Bill?
How is it that it’s always the same group/s that come out against any progressive Law?
Let us all see & consider the realities of Life.
If the Lord’s creation and Life are as important to the Maltese church as they pretend it is, let them finally go after the hunters, contractors, poison spraying farmers and the politicians who enable/support these.
These are the people who knowingly and willingly destroy what is left of our country and worsen public health in every possible way, just to feed their Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy and Pride.
Does the church have difficulty recognising cardinal sins, or is it complicit in too many themself to act?