QOaETY should fight abortion by removing the social "--1 stigma from illegitimate children and unmarried mothers, according to an article in the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano.
Under the heading "Serve Life, not Destroy it", the newspaper took issue with New York State legislators, who recently legalised abortion in the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, or later if the pregnancy endangers the mother's life.
"This event has shocked America, although 14 other states also have permissive abortion laws, and has also caused emotion among us," L'Osservatore said, "Emotion and indignation have also been stirred by reports from New York about the American women's strike for equality of the sexes, which placed special stress on demands for legalised and free abortion."
L'Osservatore noted similar demands for legalised abortion in the Netherlands, France, Britain and Italy. It quoted estimates that there are 30 million voluntary abortions a year in the world, or one to every two births.
It said society should remove causes of abortion by doing away with some "authentic prejudices."
UPSET MOTHERS "One such prejudice is that the unwed girl who has an abortion is respected, while the unwed girl who chooses to become a mother is sometimes looked upon with contempt," L'Osservatore said. "So is the spouse who forgives the partner's unfaithfulness and accepts the fruit of that unfaithfulness in their family."
It said Society should spread information about sex, because "ignorance and false modesty bring about pregnancies of even 12-year-old girlS, with resulting abortions demanded by upset mothers."
The State, L'Osservatore said, should improve the juridical position of illegitimate children, give financial aid to needy unwed mothers and set up "modern means of rehabilitation" for handicapped children.
Birmingham's £12,850 aid for Pakistan
THE 170 parishes of the Birmingham archdiocese have collected £12,850 for relief of the disaster areas of East Pakistan. The money has been sent to the Catholic Fund for Overseas Development.
Archbishop Dwyer wrote to all the clergy of the archdiocese on November 19: "A number of parish priests have asked leave to give the whole of the parish collection this Sunday for the relief of suffering in Pakistan. I readily agree. This disaster is so great that we should all give to the limit of sacrifice."