Cardinal Bergoglio (pronounced Ber-GOAL-io) the Archbishop
of Buenos Aires, who was elected Pope yesterday, chose the name Francis I. His Holiness Pope Francis I, a Jesuit, is 76 years old and
is the first South American to lead the Catholic Church.
Pope Francis, is known as a valiant defender of life and
family. Pro-lifers are cheered by his strong statements on abortion (“abortion
is never a solution”) and the dignity of the elderly and the importance of
resisting euthanasia (“Even if euthanasia is not legal in many countries, it is
being actualized covertly through attitudes of exclusion and abandonment” of
the elderly).
In terms of so
called ‘same sex marriage’, Cardinal Bergoglio fought valiantly to have the law
in Argentina continue to protect the traditional family. In July 2009, he
called on the priests of his Archdiocese to encourage the faithful to attend
protest against “same sex marriage."
"Let's not be naive, we're not talking about a simple
political battle; it is a destructive pretension against the plan of God,"
[…] He wrote
"We are not talking about a mere bill, but rather a
machination of the Father of Lies that seeks to confuse and deceive the
children of God."
Bergoglio also requested his priests to read, a declaration
defending the true definition and understanding of marriage, from the pulpits.
"The Argentinean people will have to confront, in the
coming weeks, a situation whose result could gravely injure the family. We are speaking of a bill regarding
marriage between people of the same sex," a bill that calls into question
"the identity, and the survival of the family: father, mother, and
children."
The latter, warns Bergoglio, might also be threatened by
homosexual adoption, which would be a true form of discrimination.
The country now needs "the special assistance of the
Holy Spirit, to place the light of truth in the middle of the darkness of
error, to defend us against the enchantment of so many sophistries with which
they seek to justify this bill," he wrote.
Cardinal Bergoglio also defended the life of the unborn even
in cases of rape, in very stark terms.
In a 2007 speech given to a gathering of priests and laity
on October 2nd, then-Cardinal Bergoglio issued a defense of life even in cases
of rape saying: "we aren’t in agreement with the death penalty," but
"in Argentina we have the death penalty. A child conceived by the rape of a mentally ill or retarded
woman can be condemned to death."
Moreover, on behalf of the bishops of Latin America, also in
2007, Cardinal Bergoglio presented the "Aparecida Document" regarding
the situation of the Church in their countries. The document, approved by Pope Benedict XVI in July of that
year, made a very clear statement regarding the consequences of supporting
abortion, disallowing Holy Communion for anyone who facilitates an abortion,
including politicians.
The text states in paragraph 436 that "we should commit
ourselves to ‘Eucharistic coherence’, that is, we should be conscious that
people cannot receive Holy Communion and at the same time act or speak against
the commandments, in particular when abortion, euthanasia, and other serious
crimes against life and family are facilitated. This responsibility applies particularly to legislators,
governors, and health professionals."
See reports from LifeSite
