Pope condemns abortion on Latin America trip

updated 5:00 p.m. ET May 9, 2007

SAO PAULO, Brazil - Pope Benedict XVI began his first trip to Latin America Wednesday by laying down church law on abortion, suggesting that he agrees with bishops who said Catholic politicians in Mexico had excommunicated themselves by legalizing abortion in that nation’s capital.

Benedict, who will inaugurate an important regional bishops’ conference during his trip, also spoke strongly against abortion during his first speech in Brazil. Speaking in Portuguese, he said he’s certain that the bishops will reinforce “the promotion of respect for life from the moment of conception until natural death as an integral requirement of human nature.”

Hundreds of faithful waiting in the cold rain for a glimpse of Benedict seemed not to care about the major challenges the Vatican says he hopes to confront during his visit, such as the church’s declining influence in Brazil, the rise of evangelism, or his in-flight comments about Mexico City’s politicians.

Catholic officials have been debating for some time whether politicians who approve abortion legislation as well as doctors and nurses who take part in abortions would subject themselves to automatic excommunication under church law. The pope seemed to agree with Mexico City’s bishops who declared that the city’s pro-abortion lawmakers had excommunicated themselves.

“It’s nothing new, it’s normal, it wasn’t arbitrary. It is what is foreseen by the church’s doctrine,” Benedict told reporters aboard a plane to Brazil in his first full-fledged news conference since becoming pontiff in 2005.

Benedict’s spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, later said he wasn’t aware that the pope setting down a new policy.

No intention of excommunication
In a statement approved by the pope, Lombardi said the pontiff did not intend to formally excommunicate anyone — a separate and rare process under church law. “Since excommunication hasn’t been declared by the Mexican bishops, the pope has no intention himself of declaring it,” said Lombardi, who was on board the plane.

But Lombardi said politicians who vote in favor of abortion should not receive the sacrament of Holy Communion. “Legislative action in favor of abortion is incompatible with participation in the Eucharist. ... Politicians exclude themselves from Communion.”

Pressed further by journalists if the lawmakers were excommunicated, Lombardi reiterated: “No, they exclude themselves from Communion.”

Excommunication is the severest penalty the Roman Catholic Church can impose on its members. When someone is excommunicated “his status before the church is that of a stranger,” the New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia says. In practical terms, that means the excommunicated person is forbidden from receiving the sacraments and participating in public worship.

Church teaching says anyone who has an abortion is automatically excommunicated. “Being a conspiring or necessary accomplice” to an abortion also means excommunication under church law.

The Mexican politicians who supported the measure shrugged off Benedict’s comments Wednesday. “I’m Catholic and I’m going to continue being Catholic even if the church excommunicates me,” said leftist Mexico City lawmaker Leticia Quezada. “My conscience is clean.”

MORE FROM AMERICAS

Americas Section Front

Americans stay away from bloody Juarez   Canada PM keeps focus on economy U.S. issues travel advisory for Mexico   Caribbean islands brace for Omar For Cubans, U.S. election issue is the embargo Canada's Conservative party wins re-election Marine fights extradition over murder Daily Nightly: Little happiness in Haiti Americas Section Front   Add Americas headlines to your news reader: