Catholic church decries liberalised abortion in Malawi

The influential pro-life Catholic Church in Malawi has said its teachings on abortion are not shaken even with the recent announced proposed grounds for legal abortion in the country, saying they  are unacceptable in the Church.

Fr Saindi: Anti-abortion
Fr Saindi: Anti-abortion

The Church has publicly announced its stance on the issue few weeks after pronouncement of findings and recommendations by the Special Law Commission on the Review on Abortion Law.

Section 49 of the Penal Code says anyone administering abortion is liable to imprisonment for 14 years, while Section 150 indicates that any woman who solicits an abortion is liable to 7 years incarceration.

Abortion is only allowed when a woman’s life is in danger. It requires the endorsement of 2, independent obstetricians and the consent of a spouse before it can be performed. It is out of sync with many international agreements.

Secretary General for the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) Fr. Henry Saindi in his speech during commemorations for the Communication Day at Mtima Woyera Parish in the Arch Diocese of Lilongwe, said the Catholic Church stance on abortion will never change, adding that Malawi Catholic Bishops will continue to uphold the church teaching against abortion.

The Special Law Commission on review on Abortion Law, findings and recommendations states that, termination of pregnancy be performed only for certain justifiable instances through an operation.

Recommendations propose that termination of pregnancy be done ‘only’ to save the life of pregnant woman, or if there is malformation of the foetus which will affect its viability or compatibility with life as well as where the pregnancy is as a result of rape, incest or defilement.

“Catholic Church already addressed this issue,” said Fr. Saindi to the congregation “The position of the church has never changed and it will never change”

Fr. Saindi stated that issue of legalizing abortion has come in different way now as recommendations by the Special Commission allows termination of pregnancy for ‘only’ justifiable instances.

However, he said nothing is “new” because the same issue was addressed in 2013 Catholic Bishops Pastoral Letter in which they tackled issues concerning Homosexuality and legalizing Abortion.

“Abortion in these instances cannot be tolerated or permitted by the Catholic Church.” He said and emphasized that “The position of the church is that abortion is the killing the unborn child because we know that the life of a person begins when a child is conceived.”

“The unborn child has a right to live and must always be protected by the society,” continued Fr. Saindi

He then explained that the Catholic Church on abortion advocates and always emphasize the role counseling of women and girls found in a situation of terminating pregnancy.

“For example those who have been raped and found to be pregnant, they have to be counseled, they have to be helped to accept their situation and the gift that God has given to them.”

Malawi’s strict anti-abortion law, traditional cultural practices, which subjugate women and expose young girls to unsafe sex and deeply conservative, Christian society where talking openly about sex remains taboo, are partly being blamed for the high botched abortion fatalities.

Women activists argue that the current restrictive legal and regulatory framework is driving women to undertake unsafe abortions that are often fatal and contributing to the infringement of women’s right to life as well as their dignity and bodily autonomy. –Additional reporting by ECM

 

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gmk
gmk
8 years ago

what we mean when legalizing this act iz that we must kill the weak. a person is not just a mere animal,there is something proper to him,thus he haz a soul.Hence life needs to be respected at all levels of human life. Do not let criminals make their shield so that they become law-free. When doing this deliberately, be assured of voluminous consequences.

Prophet Justice
Prophet Justice
8 years ago

Father, I glorify you because of your grace and mercy of redemption. Forgive us for our selfish and evil thoughts as we call on the Holy Spirit to constantly guard us in your paths of righteousness so that you-Lord, our creator be the centre and essence of our being. Help us Lord not only from any evil, but also its look in whatever form it may be presented. We stand on your word of righteousness which is accuratr, perfect, complete and will hence never turn void but surely fulfil that which it has been sent forth. Jehovah, have mercy on… Read more »

clement
clement
8 years ago

Bwanji nkhaniyi akambirane ana amene adakali mmimba mwa mai awo. We are able to discuss like this coz we were born. In fact, this dogma (anti abortion) is not only for Catholic Christians – its for all mankind. Let us not be selfish to our unborn colleagues. The best we can do is to prevent conception

chakhalira
chakhalira
8 years ago

It is very sad to read these comments on abortion. I am not very sure of our Medical Doctors in Malawi to day. There was a time when I visited my private Doctor some years ago. I told him that I was suffering from terrible headache. To my surprise he told me that headache on its own was not a disease. But symptom of a disease some where. So he examined me and said I had Malaria. And he added that the headache was as a result of Malaria. There was a motion in Parliament by a certain MP that… Read more »

nachisale
nachisale
8 years ago

I am a Catholic who is Pro-Abortion because abortion helps women to have the right to keep a pregnancy or NOT – men always have that choice to walk away from pregnancy and children and our Church says NOTHING. Second, abortion is good to keep our families small and our national population low. At the moment government is failing to provide education, school, police WHY because of high population and low productivity and poverty. There are so many women in the village who need abortion because the men just impregnate them and run away and as a Christian I never… Read more »

For the neonate
For the neonate
8 years ago

Is it not strange that people that agitate for abortion are already born? When do human rights begin? In the womb or after birth? When is a child human?

stephen
stephen
8 years ago

i support my church teachings and thats the way to go but if others choose the other way its their choice. it shall be btwn them and their Creator on the judgement day. know that every life is previous. ekelezia ndimukonda ine…ndimukonda… sindindingalowe mpingo wina katolika yekha…singing

SAPITWA
SAPITWA
8 years ago

YOU KAKA , YOU DONT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT ,HAD IT BEEN THAT YOU MOTHER CARRIED THE SAID CALLED ABORTION WERE YOU ABLE TO TALK THE STUPIDITY YOU TALKING NOW?

Wysn chipolonga
Wysn chipolonga
8 years ago

Auzeni amvesetse kuti sizabwino zimenezo. Komaso chomwe angaziwe zichulusa imfa ya azimayi apakati zimenezo.

Wysn chipolonga
Wysn chipolonga
8 years ago

Auzeni amvesetse kuti sizabwino zimenezo.

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