by ELLEN O’REGAN
Sister universities VUB and ULB, as well as associated university hospital UZ Brussels, have strongly criticised comments about abortion made by Pope Francis on his flight home from Belgium on Sunday. They call on the Belgian government to ensure “consequences” for his statements.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo has summoned the Vatican’s ambassador to Belgium over the Pope’s comments, which De Croo has said were “unacceptable”.
During an in-flight press conference on Sunday as the Pope flew from Brussels back to Rome (after a four-day visit to Belgium), the head of the Catholic Church labelled doctors who perform abortions as “hitmen”.
“On this you cannot argue. You are killing a human life,” the pontiff said. He also called Belgium’s late King Baudouin a “saint” for refusing to sign legislation legalising abortion in 1990. This unprecedented refusal required Baudouin abdicate for a day rather than to carry out the monarch’s formal function.
During a mass in King Baudouin Stadium on Sunday, the Pontiff confirmed that he would begin the beatification process for Belgium’s fifth King, a preliminary step needed before a deceased person can be canonised as a saint.
Visiting King Baudouin’s tomb on Saturday, Pope Francis sparked anger among civil organisations in Belgium when he spoke of Baudouin’s “courage” in not signing a “murderous” abortion law.
In an open letter published in De Standaard this week, VUB, ULB and UZ Brussels said that the Pope’s comments cannot be allowed to go “without consequences”.
“Freedom of speech is sacred to us, and the Holy See may also make use of it. But whoever makes slanderous accusations is no longer exercising freedom of speech, but is guilty of spreading hatred,” the letter reads.
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