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RUINI-ABORTION Jan-3-2008 (280 words) xxxi
Italian cardinal says it's logical to support moratorium on abortion
By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service
ROME (CNS) -- Cardinal Camillo Ruini, papal vicar for Rome, said the vast majority of Italians who hailed the U.N. General Assembly's support for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty should think about extending the moratorium to abortion.
"I think that after the happy result obtained regarding the death penalty, it might be logical to call attention to the theme of abortion," the cardinal said in a Dec. 31 television interview.
Cardinal Ruini told the Canale 5 news program that the proposal for a moratorium on abortion, launched before Christmas by the Italian newspaper Il Foglio, was an opportunity to "stimulate, reawaken the consciences of all to help them recognize that a baby in its mother's womb really is a human being" and that abortion is the taking of a human life.
Abortion in Italy is legal, in most cases, until the 24th week of pregnancy; the cardinal said at the very least Italian politicians should consider reducing the time abortion is legal, particularly because medical advances have made it possible for some fetuses delivered at 24 weeks to survive.
"It is truly inadmissible to proceed with an abortion when the fetus is at an age to survive on its own," he said.
Italy led the campaign to convince the United Nations to support a universal moratorium on using the death penalty. The resolution was passed in early December.
The campaign's success has led several pro-life Italian politicians to consider ways to demonstrate to the public, which overwhelmingly supports a total ban on capital punishment, that protecting human life includes protecting the unborn.
END
Copyright (c) 2008 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed.
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