Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Spanish Bishop Denounces Abortion as "the worst dictatorship that can exist"

http://www.catedraldevalencia.es/imagenes/arzobispo/grandes/arzobispo-de-valencia.jpg

Compares legality of abortion to totalitarian dictatorships of the 20th century

By Matthew Cullinan Hoffman

VALENCIA, SPAIN, January 5, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Archbishop Carlos Osoro of Valencia denounced abortion in a well-publicized sermon last Monday as "the worst dictatorship that can exist" and "the greatest injustice in history because it ends the lives of the weakest."

The remarks were made on the Feast of the Holy Innocents, which is celebrated every year in the Catholic Church on December 28, and among the Eastern Orthodox on December 29. It recognizes the children killed by the Jewish King Herod, who was seeking to take the life of Christ after discovering that he had been born in Bethlehem. They are regarded as martyrs because they died in the place of Christ.

According to the Spanish newspaper ABC, Osoro also denounced western nations where "we fill our mouths with talk of human rights and where the most is being done to prevent the construction of peace and reconciliation."

"Reconciliation will never arrive while human life is not respected from its beginning until its natural end," added Osoro, who noted that the situation is similar to "what was experienced in Europe in previous times," comparing the current abortionist regimes to the totalitarianism of the 20th century.

"In questioning life, liberty in itself is brought into question, and the most profound injustice that can exist is established, which is to take away the life of the most defenseless," said Osoro.

Osoro's comments were made as Spain moves towards the legalization of abortion on demand. Legislation recently passed by the Spanish Chamber of Deputies (the lower legislative house) will allow women to freely choose death for their children during the first fourteen weeks of pregnancy, and will mandate pro-abortion education throughout the country.

Current legislation requires that a medical reason be given. However, danger to the "psychological health" of the mother is used to justify over a hundred thousand abortions every year in Spain. ABC reports that more than 10,000 abortions occur every year in Valencia.

Osoro's sermon was reportedly followed by a demonstration by hundreds of Catholics from the region, many of whom were members of Youth for Life.

As a result of widespread abortion and contraception, Spain's families have an average of about 1.3 children, and the country is experiencing strong immigration pressures from Africa and Latin America.

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