Spain Catholic Bishops Increase Efforts to Stop Legislation to Expand Abortions
Madrid, Spain (LifeNews.com) -- The Catholic bishops in Spain are increasing their efforts to oppose legislation proposed by the ruling Socialist government that would expand abortions in the European nation. The bill describes abortion as a constitutional right that must be protected by the nation's government, something the Spain Bishops Conference called "A poisoned source of immorality and injustice." The conference's executive committee issued a strong statement against the measure saying the "most sobering aspect of this law is its pretention to label abortion as a right that must be protected by the State" and that the "will of the mother becomes the absolute arbiter over the life or death of the child she carries in her womb." "The inclusion of abortion within the means that are supposedly necessary to care for a person's health is in and of itself gravely false. Abortion never heals, it always kills. An authentic health care policy should always take into account the health of pregnant women, but also the life and health of the child to be born," the bishops said. Abortions are technically illegal in Spain unless they are needed to protect a woman's mental or physical health and that exception has been used to allow virtually unlimited abortions. Some abortion businesses were exposed in recent years for completing patient intake forms with bogus mental health reasons for abortions before women arrived for their schedule abortion procedures. The bill, which Parliament is expected to begin reviewing in July, would legalize abortions without any limits up to 14 weeks into pregnancy and have similar weak limits on abortions after that point. The ruling Socialists recently defeated a parliamentary move by conservative parties to allow more debate on the bill and delay a vote and observers say that makes it appear enough votes exist to approve the pro-abortion bill.
Millions March in Spain Against Govt Effort to Expand Abortions, Exclude Parents
Madrid, Spain (LifeNews.com) -- As many as two million people participated in a massive march in the capital of Spain as they oppose an effort by the government there to expand the nation's abortion law and exclude parents. Spanish citizens took to Madrid's streets behind a huge banner that read, "Every Life Matters." People traveled to Madrid from across the country for the rally and march sponsored by 234 various pro-life groups from over 45 countries. Police estimates put the crowd at 250,000, but government officials said the number was as high as one million and organizers said two million participated in the march. The event had a festival-like atmosphere as throngs of people filled the streets from the Plaza del Sol to Independence Square. The cabinet of the Spain government, headed by President Rodriguez Zapatero, approved a draft bill that would expand abortions and legalize them up to the fourteenth week of pregnancy. The measure has upset pro-life advocates, but the government made it worse by saying parental involvement won't be allowed. That means teenagers between the ages of 16 and 18 who can get abortions will not have to either inform their parents about their abortion nor obtain their consent. Ref. Source 3
Topless Feminists Assault Spanish Cardinal Before Mass to Protest for Abortion
As the Spanish government pushes a pro-life proposal to roll back some of Europe's most pro-abortion laws, extreme feminists are upset. They showed their anger over the weekend by hurling objects at Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela as he attempted to enter a local Catholic Church before Mass on Sunday.
AFP has a report on what happened. Ref. Source 1
Radical Feminists Carry Huge Plastic Statue of Vagina Through City to Protest for Abortion
In a blatant attempt to mock the Catholic Church’s life-affirming teachings, a radical group of feminists marched through a Spanish city carrying rosary beads and a giant plastic vagina. Ref. Source 5m.
Spain Catholics (Hover)