More Diabolical Disorientation in Portugal

Portugal Will Keep the Faith and Legalize Abortion?
Cardinal Policarpo Dropping the Ball Again!

The country visited by Our Lady of Fatima—Portugal—risks becoming an abortion mill like so many other “Catholic” countries in Europe. On October 19, 2006, the parliament ratified the proposition of the new socialist government of Jose Socrates to introduce a referendum for abortion on demand until the 10th week of pregnancy.

Until now, abortion is tolerated in Portugal only in cases of rape, congenital malformation of the baby, and serious danger for the mother's life. Already in 1998, a similar referendum had been organized, with a very narrow majority (50.07 %) voting against it, and with a record rate of abstention: 68.11%.

This new referendum could be held as early as in January 2007, if the Constitutional Court and the Presidency pronounce themselves in favor of it, which is yet to be determined.

At the same time, the Church is faltering in this fight. The cardinal patriarch of Lisbon, Cardinal Jose de Cruz Policarpo (responsible for the infamous interfaith meetings at Fatima in 2003), has just recommended abstention (not voting on it) to the undecided voters. The question of abortion should not be, according to him, a religious question, but only one of fundamental ethics. "I don't make any recommendation to voters", declared the Cardinal. According to him, the Church shouldn't lead the campaign for this referendum: "It should be especially the physicians and family fathers who lead the way."


More and more, the victories of abortion proponents in Europe are due to the lack of courage on the part of the shepherds of the Church, who, in general, don't dare defend the life of babies any more, even if some bishops here and there still do. Opposition to abortion has actually become a source of division within the Church when it should be a unifying factor. If the Christians were standing united against the massacre of European babies, there would be no abortion in Europe.

Will Pope Benedict XVI find the courage to remedy this catastrophic situation?