Priests for Life in Spain where the Abortion Debate is Making International Headlines - November 4-6, 2009

Priests for Life International Director Bob Lalonde along with Fr. Jim Heyd, delegate of Cardinal George (President of the U.S. Bishops Conference) and former long serving PFL Pastoral Associate, are on the ground in Spain where a million people recently marched to protest further liberalization of Spain’s abortion law and where the 4th International Pro Life Conference will be held 6-8 November in Zaragoza. 

The abortion debate has heated up in Spain where the Parliament is considering expanding the country’s law to allow abortion on demand up to 14 weeks' gestation and permit girls 16 years old to abort their unborn child without parental consent.    Already, Spain has one of the most liberal laws in Europe which, although technically makes abortion on demand illegal, permits a woman to kill her unborn child for "psychological" reasons at any time during the pregnancy.  Since 2000, Spain's abortion rate has climbed 59% and, according to the BBC, shocking cases have emerged in which doctors performed abortions on women eight months pregnant who claim their mental health was threatened.  

The massive crowd of more than a million that protested against the law in October is an indication of the need and demand for the international pro life conference in Zaragoza at which Priests for Life was invited to speak.  Prior to the congress, Bob Lalonde, with the help of our Spanish supporters and Fr. Heyd, met with the nuns at St Theresa of Avila Carmelite monastery on the anniversary St. Theresa received her habit.  There they asked the nuns to pray for an end to abortion in Spain and the success of the conference.   The nuns agreed and presented Priests for Life with a corporal used to celebrate that special Mass and it will follow the team throughout Spain until it resides in PFL's chapel for Masses offered there.  Two Spanish bishops have blessed the corporal.

Additionally, Bob met with Bishop Juan Antonio Reig Pla, President of Prolife Activities for the Bishop's Conference, to discuss Priests for Life’s activities in Spain, as well as attended the national book launch of “Déjame nacer. El aborto no es un derecho’'  (“Let me live. Abortion is not a right”).  The book launch was attended by more than 100 journalists and supporters.  In the acknowledgement page, the author credited Fr Frank Pavone, Priests for Life, and Magaly Llaguno of Human Life International for inspiring her to write this important book.

More live updates from the 4th International Pro Life Conference in Spain to come! 

Go to http://priestsforlife.org/frontlines/trip-home.aspx?tripid=387 for part 2 of our update.

Go to http://www.priestsforlife.org/frontlines/trip-home.aspx?tripid=388 or part 3 of our update.