Montevideo, Uruguay, Oct 24, 2012 / 14:14 pm
The Uruguayan bishops' conference has explained recent statements regarding Catholic lawmakers who voted to legalize abortion in the country, saying they are not excommunicated if they voted in favor of abortion.
"Excommunication applies to Catholics who have acted directly in carrying out an abortion, which does not include those who vote for a law that allows it," Bishop Heriberto Bodeant, secretary general of the conference said.
In an Oct. 23 interview with Radio Carve, he clarified that excommunication would apply only to those who have performed an abortion and not those who voted to legalize the procedure in Uruguay.
"Automatic excommunication is for those who collaborate in the execution of an abortion in a direct way, and direct means committing that specific act," the Bishops Conference explained on their website.