Is it it any wonder the Catholic Church is seen by many, including many
of its own people, as irrelevant?
How can she possibly justify the excommunication of the mother of a
nine-year-old girl in Brazil for authorising the abortion of twin
girls her daughter was carrying as the result of being raped by her
stepfather?
Raped. Apparently since the age of six.
Sometimes I hate the Church I love.
The doctors who performed the abortion also have been excommunicated.
But not the alleged perpetrator of this crime. Not the stepfather. He,
says the Church, did not take an innocent life.
Oh, really? So even if the young girl was/is emotionally tortured for
the rest of her life — whether or not she had the abortion — she
remains 'alive' does she? And that's all that matters?
A Vatican cleric is quoted by Agence France-Presse as saying: 'It is a
sad case but the real problem is that the twins conceived were two
innocent persons, who had the right to live and could not be
eliminated.'
Where are the innocent little girl's rights? I would say they have
been eliminated.
I do not believe in wholesale abortion. I do believe in the primacy of
conscience. I cannot imagine being in the same position as that
mother, but if I were there is every possibility I would have done
what she did. So if there is guilt by association, then, please,
excommunicate me.
But know this. I will be back at Mass the following day and I will
receive the Eucharist with my conscience clear.
Perhaps when there are women in the Vatican, there will be compassion.
And, contrary to what our good Cardinal says, that will happen before
hell freezes over.
Bill Farrelly is a retired Sydney Morning Herald journalist who wasn't
always objective.