By Gudrun Schultz
SYDNEY, Australia, February 15, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – As the Australian House of Representatives began debate yesterday on a bill that would open the door to the chemical abortion drug RU486, Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney, issued a statement against the drug.
“The health risks to women of RU486 cannot be airbrushed out of existence. Already significant numbers of women have died after taking the drug. Hundreds in the U.S. have suffered ill effects. RU486 will increase the danger of women suffering home alone miscarriages and will further trivialize the destruction of human lives.”
Cardinal Pell had encouraging words for people fighting against abortion in Australia, saying most people in the country want to see the number of abortions decrease.
“Public opinion is moving. The tide is changing in Australia; not as fast as in the United States, but it is changing…Majority opinion in Australia, except in the Senate, disapproves of the 80,000 a year government funded abortions in Australia and is looking for ways to reduce this death-toll, not risk increasing it…87% of Australians support finding ways to reduce the number of abortions.”
The Archbishop had harsh words for the largely female group of senators who voted for the bill, saying:
“Future generations will look back on today’s encouragement of abortion the way we now look at owning slaves. It is a sad irony that the first cross-party alliance of women in parliament should use its power to increase the opportunities for abortion, to attack life, rather than defend it. These senators are out of touch with young women where 60% want to delay the introduction of the drug until there is more information on the health risks.”
Cardinal Pell ended his statement with a call to the House Representatives to vote according to the conscience of the nation:
“The challenge is to encourage births, to encourage free personal choices for life, to give women the support and resources they need to give birth to their children. This is the role of parliaments and governments.”
Read Cardinal Pell’s full statement here:
https://www.sydney.catholic.org.au/Archbishop/Addresses/2006214_1732.shtml