Pope’s blessing

It is very moving to see Pope Francis blessing a pregnant woman during the general audience at the Vatican on November 30.

The pope’s marvellous action coincided sadly with the ongoing controversy in Malta about introducing abortion by our prime minister, Robert Abela. To say the least, it is shameful of the prime minister to present this law after solemnly declaring that abortion would never be introduced in Malta on his watch. This declaration was made during his tough campaign for leader of the Labour Party and eventually prime minister. It seems that, at the time, Abela only wanted to impress and, thus, get favourable votes.

Pope Francis blessing a pregnant woman at the end of his weekly general audience at the Vatican. Photo: Vincenzo Pinto / AFP

One must bear in mind that the introduction of abortion in Malta was never mentioned in the Labour electoral manifesto. By so doing, Abela is deceiving the electorate and abusing of the majority of seats in parliament.

It seems President George Vella has indicated that he is ready to resign but will never sign the law.

At the time of writing, 450 doctors have declared that such a law will be paving the way for eventual abortion. Many NGOs have also declared their disagreement with the law.

A considerable number of experts and personalities, among them President Emeritus Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, also spoke against the law.

One thing comes to my mind. If ever the law passes through parliament and is signed by a stand-in president, will the prime minister or any of his parliamentary group have the cheek to visit the pope, shake hands with him and even ask for his blessing? Or, closer to home, attend funerals, festas or commemorative services in our churches?

I sincerely hope that, eventually, Abela will see the light and be humble enough to withdraw the law which has created turmoil in these islands. If he does not and carries on stubbornly, his hands and those of his Labour parliamentary colleagues will be stained with blood for all their lives. So, please, Mr Prime Minister, for once, show the Maltese people you are ready to listen and bow your head to expert advice.

Emily Barbaro-Sant – Mosta

Precise legislation

I am deeply disappointed by our government’s stealthy efforts to introduce a radical abortion regime into Malta. As we know, the government has introduced legislation that aims to allow abortion in cases where a woman’s life is endangered.

This sounds reasonable and moderate on the face of it but the detail of the bill is extreme: it opens the way for people to demand that doctors carry out abortions if, in their opinion, their mental health may be harmed; 97.9 per cent of UK abortions are carried out on this basis with negligible oversight.

Malta fought for its right to reject all European legislation relating to abortion under Protocol 7 but, incredibly, the government’s bill removes any gestational limit, meaning an abortion at nine months’ pregnancy would be permitted, way beyond the European norm.

We have chosen to take full responsibility and now we should write precise, clearly worded legislation with cross-party support to protect doctors, midwives, mothers and unborn children.

Cosmo de Piro – Abu Dhabi