Vatican Outraged at Mexico City

It was recently reported that Mexico City had voted to pass a bill legalizing abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy. Under the bill hospitals would have to perform the procedures regardless of their moral stance on abortion. The bill has now been signed into law and the Vatican is not happy.

The Roman Catholic Church pleaded with doctors practicing in Mexico City to continue to deny abortions even though they are now considered legal. The fight against abortion, which the church promises to continue may lead to legal ramifications against them due to Mexican laws forbidding the church's interference in matters of the law. Even though under the new law, doctors at hospitals can not refuse a patient an abortion for moral reasons, Cardinal Roberto Rivera read a statement during mass claiming they could. "We call on all of those with good conscience not to be responsible for the abominable act," Rivera read. "We remind the doctors, nurses, health care workers and all those affected by this unjust law, that they can invoke their human right to conscientious objection."

The church's stance on abortion and the forced legality of the procedure is leaving catholic nurses, doctors and lawmakers with one of the toughest decisions of their lives. The Archdiocese has made it quite clear they will be excommunicated from the church if they have any involvement in the act of performing an abortion or passing a law supporting one.

The Mayor of Mexico City, Marcelo Ebrard is infuriated with the church's comments. "We live in the 21^st century, not the 16^th. I have a lot of respect for issues of faith. . . .But this is a case where the affairs of state reign."

Anti-abortion activists and strict Catholics alike gathered in the streets in riot fashion holding signs and small white coffins. "Assassins! Assassins!," broadcasted people in the street. On the other side, with riot officers separating the crowd, supporters cheered as news was presented of the bill becoming a law.

Between 2001 and 2005 more than 124,000 women were forced to be hospitalized after having unsafe abortions in Mexico City. Unable to afford travel outside of the country to receive proper abortion care, they were forced to allow the then illegal procedure to be performed by whatever doctors were willing to risk losing their licences. Lawmakers supporting the bill voiced their concerns of what would continue to happen to the women of their country if the bill had not been signed into law. "We come here today to vote with our conscience despite those who want to condemn us to an afterlife in hell," said lawmaker Victor Hugo Cirigo.

At this point it is unclear whether the church will truly take action against the people in support of the abortion law, but the effect of the law is crystal. A law of this magnitude will open debate for similar bills all over Mexico and possibly in the United States as well.

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/04/30/news/nation/17_05_184_29_07.txt

http://www.latinamericapress.org/article.asp?lanCode=1&artCode=5130