Spanish bishop publishes pastoral letter on abortion

Spanish bishop José Ignacio Munilla explained that abortion is just another example of the "throwaway culture” that Pope Francis spoke out against.

MSGR. JOSÉ INGACIO MUNILLA - Bishop of San Sebastián

"I think that Pope Francis gives us a few clues to delve deeply into the topic of abortion. Pope Francis has talked about the lack of tenderness, the lack of hope, as two clues to understanding where the culture of death comes from.”

The Spanish government is currently analyzing changes to its permissive abortion laws. But their actions have unleashed an ideological debate in the Iberian country.

Msgr. Munilla contributed to the debate with a pastoral letter that refutes the arguments politicians and lobby groups use to defend the practice in Spain. He said that his goal is to get people to reflect on this issue.

MSGR. JOSÉ INGACIO MUNILLA - Bishop of San Sebastián

"I wanted to take a series of misinterpretations being communicated, and I wanted to give them context to help people think, to help them debate this issue, because I think that as Christians we are called to reason through our faith.”

One of the the Pope's main arguments centers around the concept of the "throwaway culture.” He described it as a costly way of living that makes no room for the weakest, like the elderly, the sick, and the most vulnerable, like the unborn.

MSGR. JOSÉ INGACIO MUNILLA - Bishop of San Sebastián

"Interestingly, in Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis talks about abortion in a chapter that deals with the new types of social poverty. It's a new type of poverty, not only because of the vulnerability of the unborn, but because it affects women, who are without a doubt the second victims of abortion.”

Pope Francis did not hide his concern with the current situation in Spain and other countries debating this topic.

On February 28, while meeting with the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, the Pope said he was shocked to hear that in Spain some 110,000 abortion take place each year, or about 300 per day.