Poland: Over 1000 Posters Pro-Life in Many Cities
Over 1,000 pro-life posters were hung all over Poland, pro-life circles have made their voices heard in the abortion debate.
On 22 October the Constitutional Tribunal, declared abortion unconstitutional in the event of a high probability of serious and irreversible harm to the fetus or of an incurable disease that threatens its life. In practice, in many cases it has meant the deaths of unborn children due to suspicion of Down syndrome.
The sentence sparked a wave of protests organized by pro-abortion groups that led to attacks on churches.
On the pro-life side, however, since the end of November, posters with messages in favor of life have appeared in dozens of cities. The most visible is the poster with a heart-shaped womb. Inside is a baby in a fetal position. No subtitles or slogans.
Archiwum
Behind the campaign is the “Our Children Foundation – Education, Health, Faith”. We wanted everyone to be able to evaluate conscientiously and to interpret the message on the poster.
In December, other large-format posters appeared with slogans such as: “I think, feel, I don’t kill”, “I give life, I care”, “Choose life” or “Every life is a gift”.
Archiwum
The motivation of the Constitutional Tribunal’s sentence of last October was made public on 27 January with a document of 154 pages, which states that “the Republic of Poland guarantees everyone the legal protection of life” (art. 38 of the Constitution) and that its protection is the responsibility of the public authorities (art.30). Any limitation of the legal protection of human life must be “absolutely necessary”, that is, treated as an absolute last resort. A disability or an incurable disease of a child in the prenatal phase cannot automatically determine the eligibility of termination of the pregnancy.
The aspect to be emphasized is that the Tribunal has declared that the burden of raising a severely and irreversibly handicapped or terminally ill child cannot fall only on his family, but the whole of society must bear it by introducing provisions that provide the family all assistance and support needed.
From the moment of the publication of the sentence, according to Polish law, abortion is allowed in two cases: when the life or health of the mother is in danger or in the case of pregnancy following rape, incest, or pedophilia.
Archiwum
This legislation is against discrimination based on health. It defends human life from the moment of its conception as a sick child has the same value and has the same right to life as a healthy child.
On October 28, in a message to Poles delivered a few days after the sentence of the Polish Constitutional Tribunal, Pope Francis recalled the message of St. John Paul II on the protection of life: “Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Polish Holy Pope, I ask God to awaken in everyone’s hearts respect for the lives of our brothers, especially the weakest and defenseless, and to give strength to those who accept and care for them, even when heroic love required”.
Archbishop Gądecki, President of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, appreciated the decision of the Tribunals, which confirms that “the concept of ‘life not worth living’ is in direct contradiction with the principle of a democratic rule of law”. “Nobody in conscience can deny others the right to live, especially because of his illness”, he added.
From 19 to 25 March 2021 the Polish Pro-Life Association has launched a week of prayer in defense of life which will begin in the liturgical memorial of St. Joseph and will end on the occasion of the Day of the Holiness of Life, in the year that Pope Francis dedicated to St. Joseph.
Tłumaczenie powstało na zamówienie Fundacji ŻYCIU TAK im. Niepokalanego Poczęcia Najświętszej Maryi Panny
Beautiful!