D&P partner supports new abortion policy in Brazil

In case you haven't heard, our brethren in Brazil are facing a tough battle over a new government policy proposal.  Here's a quick overview:

Brazilian President Luiz Lula da Silva has introduced a massive legislative reform package in the last year of his term that would secure abortion as a "human right," impose socialist and homosexualist ideology in the schools and media, and ban crucifixes from government facilities, among other measures.

The legislative program, which is called the Third National Program for Human Rights (PNDH-3), would establish a level of control over the media and private property that is being called a nonviolent "coup d'etat" and a socialist party "dictatorship." It has elicited widespread protest from institutions ranging from the Catholic Church to military leaders, the agricultural sector, and even members of the president's own cabinet.

The leadership of the National Conference of Brazilian Bishops (CNBB) has issued a declaration "reaffirming its position, manifested many times, in defense of life and the family, and against the decriminalization of abortion, against marriage between people of the same sex and the right of adoption of children by homosexual couples."

The CNBB leadership "also rejects the creation of 'mechanisms to impede the display of religious symbols in public establishments of the Union,' because it regards such an intolerant measure as ignoring our historical roots." (Source)

Development and Peace (D&P), the official charity for pro-choice Catholics and wishy-washy bishops (or OCPCCWWB for short), funds three partners in Brazil. One of them is called FASE (Federação de Órgãos para Assistência Social e
Educacional).  In response to the government's new policy proposal, FASE wrote a total and unconditional endorsement of the policy.  They even highlighted the provisions for same-sex unions and homosexual adoption as being a particular milestone.  If you can read Portuguese, feel free to read their endorsement yourself here.  

In fact, FASE was emphatic that the policy should be adopted without amendments and that the government should resist demands for amendments from the Catholic Church and other groups.  Such amendments, said FASE, would be a step backward.

So let me get this straight:  

• On the one hand, the bishops of Brazil are crying murder over this policy because of its obvious violation of natural law and Church teaching.
• On the other hand, Canadian bishops are joyfully and proudly funding a partner that is endorsing the policy and publicly rebuking the Brazilian bishops? 

Dear Canadian bishops, how would you feel if bishops from another country were funding apostates in your diocese that lead your flock astray and interfere with your ministry?  As we witnessed recently in Medjugorje, the local bishop has jurisdiction in his diocese and bishops from the outside must respect that.  Why doesn't the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishop (CCCB) respect their brothers in other countries?  Why continue slapping them in the face by funding the pro-choice groups they cross swords with on a daily basis?

According to Wikipedia, "abortion is currently illegal in Brazil, except if the pregnancy puts the life of the woman in danger, or if the pregnancy is the result of a rape." If D&P's support for pro-choice lobby groups contributes to a loosening of the laws in Brazil, which is on the verge of happening, there will be thunder and lightning on Judgment Day for some folks here in Canada.

Your Graces, is that the legacy you want to leave behind?  That you helped legalize abortion and contribute to the death of countless babes in the world's largest Catholic country? 

Somebody pinch me and tell me this is just a bad dream.

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I invite all readers to join me in a prayer for bishops:

Heavenly Father,
In these difficult times when the spirit of the age threatens Christian values, grant to all bishops holiness of life
and wisdom to proclaim the Gospel with faithfulness, boldness and charity, so that humanity may grow closer to You.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

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