Asked on the plane bringing him back from Belgium on September 29, 2024 about his homage to King Baudouin (1930-1993), the Pope repeated that he had been courageous. It should be remembered that, in 1990, in order not to sign the law on abortion which had been passed by the chambers, he resigned for 36 hours. Which, by the way, is perhaps noble, but insufficient…
The pope says “he did it because he was a saint.” And as he is holy, the beatification process will move forward,” taking the bishops by surprise, quotes the cath.ch agency. Thus, Mgr Guy Harpigny, bishop of Tournai, confided that “the bishops have never requested the beatification of King Baudouin”. The same bishop even found the Pope’s language against abortion doctors “a little strong”.
On abortion itself, Francis recalled that “abortion is homicide”. In front of the king’s tomb, he urged “the Belgians to turn to him at this moment when criminal laws are being drawn up”, quotes Vatican News, which specifies that these are laws in favor of abortion – extension delays – and euthanasia.
On the plane he once again described doctors who perform abortions as “hit men”, insisting “we cannot discuss this. They are killing a human life,” emphasizing that “women have the right to life: their life, and that of their children.”
Reactions in Belgium
Several deputies, during the session of questions to the government, “returned to statements made by Francis on Belgian soil and on the plane which brought him back to Rome”, concerning abortion cites Cathobel. One of them judges the comparison between abortion doctors and hired killers as “totally inappropriate on the International Day for the Right to Abortion”.
Another passionaria denounces the Pope’s lack of respect “towards democracy, the medical profession and the freedom of women to make their own choice”, asking the Prime Minister if he can guarantee “the separation between the State and the Churches” ? Yet another asks for the nuncio to be summoned to denounce the words of the head of the Church.
The Prime Minister’s response was to be expected: “The Pope has made certain statements which are not acceptable”, he lamented according to Cathobel. He insisted: “We have no lessons to learn about the way our parliamentarians vote on laws democratically,” adding that “the time when the Church dictated the law in our country is, fortunately, far behind us.”
He then demanded “respect” for doctors, but also “for women who must be able to freely dispose of their bodies without interference from the Church”. Finally he announced that he had “invited the apostolic nuncio for an interview”.
As for Mgr Harpigny, he found nothing better to comment that the Pope “does not have to comment on what is happening in Belgium at the level of Parliament. That’s not for him,” he concluded. Even if Parliament voted to abolish the Church of Belgium for example? Really, no comments?
This episode reminds us that proclaiming the truth is not without contradictions that the disciple of Jesus Christ must be ready to face. Evil is always evil, even voted for by parliamentarians, and especially when it is voted for by elected officials, because then it is as if released and committed by a crowd who had no access to it. Their responsibility is enormous before God. It is a charity to remind them of this.
