Minister Kaliati says no to abortion: Takes stand as a Catholic
Minister of Civic education, Culture and Community Development Patricia Kaliati has been the first Cabinet Minister to openly say ‘No’ to making abortion legal.
Her sentiment comes barely a week following a citizens march which was organized by the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) and Evangelical Association of Malawi (EAM) in all the districts across the country.
The petition was delivered before Parliament through the Chair of Health Affairs Committee of Parliament, Juliana Lunguzi.
According to Kaliati, her remarks are out of her cautious as a Catholic such that this drives her to say no to abortion even if its tabled in Parliament.
She was speaking at Chikwawa Cathedral on Thursday when she officially opened the 38th Annual General Meeting for Catholic Women Organisation (CWO) which has attracted Catholic Women from all the eight Dioceses of the Catholic Church.
“As women, we are the salt and light of the nation and the Church. Against this background, we must make sure that we bring light to the nation and that our doings should be of goodwill as the salt does. Let us say no to abortion as advised by our Bishops,” said Kaliati.
She said Catholic Women should strive to be role models and always be exemplary in all their undertakings hence should strive to care for children including the unborn ones and their families as well.
“Let’s not be in the fore-front in advocating for abortion. Let’s say no to abortion. As Catholic Members of Parliament, we will respect the Social Teachings,” she said.
Asked whether she meant it what she said during her speech, Kaliati in an interview said she was born a Catholic before she become a Politician and before she got married therefore she would respect the values of the Catholic Church as a Christian.
“Yes, I mean it as a Catholic. Its Catholicism first and the rest comes second,” she said.
She also took an opportunity during the function to call upon Catholic Women to remain united and refrain from harmful cultural practices hence fight against early marriages.
Bishop Peter Musikuwa of Chikwawa Diocese said women are very crucial in every society because its where everybody comes from.
“We all come from a woman. Be it a Politician, Bishop or Priests, therefore we must take into consideration that women are so blessed before God and as such we must value them,” he said
He encouraged the women who have gathered in Chikwawa for the Annual General Meeting to utilize their meeting by encouraging on another to lead a spiritual life and strive to develop their country.
National Chairlady for Catholic Women Organisation, Bernadette Chiwaya said during their five-day stay in Chikwawa, they will among others discuss on the harmful cultural practices and role of women in empowerment of gifts, Climate Change and Care for the Environment, role of a Catholic woman in the early child development and ongoing Catholic formation.
The theme for this year’s AGM is ‘Catholic Women: Proclaimers of God’s Mercy’ as taken from John 2:29.
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Here we go again. Huffing and puffing about self righteousness; and wallowing in bogus religiosity. Where has pandering to populist sentiment; and conveniently ignoring evidence led us? Catholicism my foot! That fallacious sect of imbibers and child molesters. Let’s stop this hypocrisy and assert the secularity of state. Malawi is much more pluralistic in world views to parochially privilege particular beliefs in policy making. What would happen if every public actor made decisions based on privately held beliefs and their version of truth? Wouldn’t kulowa fumbi pass as consistent with other people’s cultural beliefs and thus within their rights to… Read more »
Kaliati should let women’s rights prevail over her personal religion. Religion belongs in the church. We have a secular state, we have separation of church and state, so no religious talk in the state.
convention on the rights of a child also recognise the rights of unborn child. mind you religion is also a right. a person has the right to belief, opinion, the way to practice the belief and all these are enshrined in human rights provisions. many people think arguing based on religious perspective conflicts human rights which is not the case. abortion should be argued along health grounds and not the choice aspect. my view
Viva Akweni for your stand God will be to your side. Am neither a Catholic nor whatever but basing on life ethics. Conception depicts the Genesis of life. Malawi is a sovereign state competent to analyse rights to operate within the jurisdiction. No to abortion and No to gay rights. Tanzania has banned min skirts. We are there God bless Kaliat , God bless Malawi.
Akweni ayambana ndi boma ndipo ntchito yatsala pang’ono kutha. Apa ndi payerepayere kuti mwina akamuchotsa aziti ndi stand ya abortion to get sympathy from the church.
Ukupitabe, abortion or no abortion.
O…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………O On what grounds has Kaliati refused to support the abortion bill? Religious grounds, you say? Ha! . . . Haven’t you ever seen someone who refuses to take liquor or pork but is a connoisseur of skirts? . . . Nanga, don’t you know of people who refuse to cast votes (regarding it as worldly and sinful) and yet gladly participates in all other sins – gossip etc? . . . Yes, Kaliati has refused to support the abortion bill, but how many other sins has Kaliati participated/continues to participate in? . . . How many lies for instance,… Read more »
Akaliyati mwataya mimba zingati inu?Mukupusitsa ndani?
Mwananyani! The world has changed indeed, human rights have progressed, yes, but God’s standard remains the same. I applaud minister Kaliati for her stand. Remember, when you stand before God on that, you will even regret to have propagated for such rights. You will be sorry to have a hand on such ideas for sure. Let the world be, but God remains the same yesterday, today and forever.
I love my country, no abortion, no gays.
I personally as a Catholic i say abortion is a sin, and completely render my good support to the church. Inu a Seventh Day Adventist mukhoza kuvomeleza abortion sinanga inuyo mumagomela chigololo heavy ndiye kusafuna kuyaluka u want abortion for free.
But my question to Kaliati, assuming u were not a catholic, but an MP, what could have been your say on this….
My fellow Catholics , in the name of God , let us not offend other Religious beliefs if we want not to be offended. if we want to comment on the social media lest refrain ourselves from use of unfriendly, evil language for God is holy. On behalf of my fellow good willed Catholics and the entire Catholic Faith I would like sincerely apologies those of other religions provoked and offended by some unholy/unrighteous comments by fellow Catholics.
weneku chalu” mpingo wauona ndiumenewo?? onse asembe onse akusiya ana mizindawa sumawaona?? ngati ulibe nfundo osangokhala bwanji
Akweni is wrong on this. I guess I can understand people just following the Church teachings, even though they are 100% foreign to us. I would not be surprised if the Church changes its mind and makes modifications to its position on abortion, Akweni et. al. will just follow like the sheep they are; holus bolus. The world has changed, especially, over the past few generations. One notable change has been in the area of human rights. And human rights include women’s rights. And abortion is a women’s rights issue. And so, it is time we gave Malawian women this… Read more »
You were not duped bwana. Makape a Catholic ndi choncho. We have had preblems with them regarding use of condoms, they are archaic beings, yet they secretly abort and use condoms. Too stupid and hypocritical