Pope to Kenyan bishops: Welcome repentant women who had an abortion

Published: 2007-11-19

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Abortion can never be justified, but women who repent after having an abortion should be welcomed back into the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI told the bishops of Kenya. Meeting the bishops Nov. 19 at the end of their "ad limina" visits to report on the status of their dioceses, the pope decried "campaigns by agencies promoting abortion" to change Kenyan law, which allows abortion only when the life of the mother is in danger. "This direct destruction of an innocent human life can never be justified, however difficult the circumstances that may lead some to consider taking such a grave step," the pope said. He told the bishops that they must remind their people that the right to life is absolute and applies to each human being without exception. "The Catholic community must offer support to those women who may find it difficult to accept a child, above all when they are isolated from their family and friends," the pope told the bishops.

Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .