Vienna, Austria, Jun 6, 2007 / 09:23 am
Archbishop Alois Kothgasser of Salzburg has refused to receive an honorary birthday present from the Austrian president in protest of the practice of abortion in the country.
The archbishop said his actions were meant to express his disagreement with the construction of an abortion clinic financed by the regional government several years ago. “The defense of life in all of its stages is not a subject that is up for discussion. The right of the human person to self-determination cannot include the possibility of killing another human being,” Archbishop Kothgasser said during the program “Report” broadcast by ORF-TV.
“My desire is for there to exist a common pledge to give life all of the possible opportunities, so that a society is created that is open to welcoming children,” he said.