The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Sri Lanka (CSCSL) is dedicating
next Sunday, 11 November, to unborn children to protest a government's plan to
legalise abortion.
As part of their action, the bishops will urge the faithful
in each diocese, especially teenagers, young people, families and doctors, to
pray and organise meetings to raise awareness about the issue.
The CBCSL has
also decided to raise funds in each parish to devolve to single mothers and to
mothers who might be considering having an abortion.
"If such a proposal does
go before parliament, we shall peacefully protest against it, wearing a black band."
In his draft
bill, Child Development and Women's Affairs Minister Tissa Karaliyadda is "limiting"
abortion to minors victim of rape, pregnancies resulting from incest or in
cases in which the foetus is physically deformed.
"For the Church,
aborting the foetus, even if it is the result of rape or incest, or if it is
deformed, is a terrible murder of an innocent human being, who is voiceless and
defenceless. For this reason, we condemn in no uncertain terms such a process
of legalisation, even when it involves exceptional cases that might attract the
empathy and solidarity of people."
"Each abortion is
a refusal of life, a criminal interference that violates God's plans for every
human being," the prelate said. "The Church has always condemned abortion. Whatever
the justification behind such an act, it must be considered a grave sin,
indefensible by every institution and every individual."
Even though
abortion is illegal in the country, the Sri Lanka Family Health Bureau, which
was set up by the Health Ministry, has recorded a rising number of cases.
In 2008,
some 700 were performed every day for a total of 250,000 a year.
Last year,
this was up to a thousand a day for a total of 300,000 a year.