http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...bortion-for-9yearold-rape-victim-1640165.html Declaring that "life must always be protected", a senior Vatican cleric has defended the Catholic Church's decision to excommunicate the mother and doctors of a nine-year-old rape victim who had a life-saving abortion in Brazil. Cardinal Giovanni Batista Re, who heads the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, told reporters that although the girl fell pregnant after apparently being abused by her stepfather, her twins had, "the right to live, and could not be eliminated". In an interview with the Italian newspaper, La Stampa, the cardinal added: "It is a sad case but the real problem is that the twins conceived were two innocent persons. Life must always be protected." Police believe the girl was sexually assaulted for years by her stepfather, possibly since she was six. That she was four months pregnant with twins emerged only after she was taken to hospital complaining of severe stomach pains. The controversy represents a PR nightmare for the Vatican. The unnamed girl's mother and doctors were excommunicated for agreeing to Wednesday's emergency abortion yet the Church has not taken formal steps against the stepfather, who is in custody. Jose Cardoso Sobrinho, the conservative regional archbishop for Pernambuco where the girl was rushed to hospital, has said that the man would not be thrown out of the Church, because although he had allegedly committed "a heinous crime", the Church took the view that "the abortion, the elimination of an innocent life, was more serious". The case has set off fierce debate in Brazil, where abortion is permitted only in cases of rape or a medical emergency. Brazil is one of the most populous Catholic countries, but conservative attitudes in rural areas are strongly at odds with the relatively progressive public view of abortion in major cities. Even the President, Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva, has waded into the row. "As a Christian and a Catholic, I deeply regret that a bishop of the Catholic Church has such a conservative attitude," he said "The doctors did what had to be done: save the life of a girl of nine years old. In this case, the medical profession was more right than the Church." One of the doctors involved in the abortion, Rivaldo Albuquerque, has raised the prospect of public clashes at his local church, telling Globo, the nation's main TV network, that he would keep going to mass there, regardless of the archbishop's order. The young girl at the centre of the case escaped excommunication only because she is still a child in the eyes of Church authorities. The stepfather, who is 23, was arrested last week, apparently trying to escape to another region of the country. Police say he is also suspected of abusing the girl's handicapped 14-year-old sister. He is in protective custody, and if convicted faces up to 15 years in prison. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Words cannot describe the idiocy. And the fact the Vatican is staying mute of this like they do in almost every issue with the church makes it even worse. I can understand people not agreeing with abortion, but I have met few if any people who would disagree with it in this case or ever think excommunication (literally (*)(*)(*)(*)ing the doctors and her whole family except the rapist) takes this whole thing to another level. Stay classy Catholicism.
What is strange is the excommunication part...or not. Ted Kennedy was a reprobate and a staunch abortion supporter and they only threatened him with excommunication. Methinks something's afoot in the mother's excommunication alone in this matter. Perhaps, the stepfather gave someone 30 pieces of silver. Still, what turds. I'm mean...wow...the girl wasn't excommunicated and the mother was, but for really the wrong reasons. The fact that somehow all her kids got molested by her husband and one even was carrying twins, to me, is worth a little excommunication. I mean...how do you live in the same house and "not know". Seriously. How do these women "not know". Why is your husband leaving the bed at night? Why are the kids all acting strange? Why are they withdrawn? The stepfather should be fed to crocodiles and the mother slapped around with a rubber hose.
No way the Catholic church excommunicates the only surviving brother of the only Catholic US president. Anyway who excommunicates a nine year old?
Oh look, the church is once again, out of step with reality. whodathunk. They should put the step-dad into a general populace prison and give the guards an extra long lunch.
They didn't excommunicate a 9 year old. They excommunicated her mother, but for all the wrong reasons. She and her sick POS husband should have been excommunicated for child neglect and abuse...or at the very least smacked around (her) and used for zoo food (him). They should have canonized Jack and excommunicated Ted. Can you tell I'm in a grouchy mood tonight?
We all have our moods. I didn't realize it was the mother that was excommunicated. I am not Catholic so I truly cannot honestly comment on their practices. I'm not too big into organized religion. I don't mind Christianity but this business of banishing some people from the church while gladly accepting others makes no sense to me. I guess the Catholic Church didn't want to seem hypocritical so they took it easy on the pedophile.
I don't believe in using abortion as a form of birth control, but there are occasions I do agree with it and rape is one of those.
This whole case is sickening and they say this: "The case has set off fierce debate in Brazil, where abortion is permitted only in cases of rape or a medical emergency." How the hell does the Catholic church figure the 9 yr old got pregnant in the first place? Because she was raped! Stupid morons! And I would say a 9 yr old carrying twins is a medical emergency. But they don't excommunicate the filthy pedophile.... that figures...... I have several friends who are Catholic - they're great people, but I sure don't like that religion......
The church is perfectly in step with church reality. Don't like it? Find another church. Abortion IS murder. You're down with murder. We get it.
The Catholic Church doesn't care. The kid can die, for all they care. She should be punished by being forced to endure the pregnancy until it killed her. The CC has no compassion for rape victims.
this is one of the choice reasons im for abortion, the catholic church needs to get their heads out of their asses for this. its not like the lil girl was screwing cus she wanted to, this was a forced pregnancy from a sick freak who needs to be bled to death very slowly. 9 year old girl could die for something she didnt do or really know what the hell was going on and the church is mad because she got an abortion???
This is a scenario where abortion makes sense, and is certainly justifiable. We're talking about an actual child here after all. She was raped and risked death by delivering the babies. She had to suffer through being raped, that's enough, there's no humanity in forcing her to carry the babies to term and risking death. Rape, incest, medical complications, incurable disease in the fetus... all reasonable cases for abortion. Abortion as plan B is a no go.
They should feel lucky they got excommunicated. Religion is harmful to society. The further away from religion they are the better off they will be in the long run mentally.
You're forgetting again that Islam hangs the rape victims - and gays. Why? The CC showed they don't make any sense - they had stated that abortion is allowed in rape cases & medical emergencies, but couldn't figure out that the girl had been raped.... so they excommunicate the mother & dr for an abortion that they say is allowed...... someone in that church sure is confused.
You are correct both religion are completely irrational. Pointing out something that sucks worse doesn't make yours not suck.
As much as I am opposed to abortion, the Catholic church screwed the pooch on this one. That preist and the stepfather should both be taken into the public square and flayed alive. This should be the standard punishment for child rape. It should also be the standard punishment for bad preists.
And no where did I say something didn't 'suck'...... I just don't understand how anyone can bash one religion and totally ignore the atrocities commited in another one. It's like they're blind in one eye.... Devout Catholics are crushed when they're kicked out of their church - I hope the mother & dr recovers quickly and can move on w/their lives and realize it's not the end of the world for them.... The hypocrisy is so blatant - Nancy Pelosi is a catholic and pro-abortion. If fact she said the less babies born, the better the economy would be... yet, she's still a Catholic - b/c she has a lot of $$$ to give them - the same w/Mormons.
This is because this appears to be the decision of the local archbishop, who is not Pelosi's archbishop.
