November 24, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Catholic pro-life activists led by Fr. Custodio Ballester and the Saint Andrew’s Cross Association are preparing to protest tomorrow outside of the Holy Cross and Saint Paul (Santa Creu y Sant Pau) Hospital in Barcelona, in response to the institution’s ongoing policy of providing abortions.
Similar protests have been taking place on the 25th of each month since May,
As LifeSiteNews has reported previously, several Catholic hospitals in the Barcelona area were shown to be performing abortions and sterilizations by Spanish media sources in 2010. Although Barcelona’s Cardinal Archbishop Lluís Martínez Sistach said he ordered a stop to the abortions following months of pressure from pro-lifers, Fr. Ballester says that the abortions are continuing.
Ballester says that in September, following the cardinal’s order, he met with hospital board member Msgr. Josep Forcada, who said that the hospital “will continue to carry out abortions in case of ‘danger to the health of the mother,’” a vague concept that can be used to justify virtually any abortion.
In announcing this month’s protest Ballester expresses pessimism about the recent victory of the conservative People’s Party in the national elections on Sunday, despite the ostensibly pro-life sentiments of prime minister-elect Mariano Rajoy.
“We would like to say that Spanish Catholics have voted in favor of Christian principles, but we cannot assure it, because no Catholic, pro-life party exists” that can carry out a truly pro-life agenda, Ballester writes, calling the People’s Party and Catalonia’s ruling Convergence and Union Party “abortionist parties (although less so)” which are “Christian Democrat in name.”
As they have in previous months, the protesters will meet tomorrow at 8:30 pm. in front of the Santa Creu y Sant Pau Hospital at the end of Gaudí Avenue, at the intersection of St. Antoni Maria Claret #167 and Cartagena. Following the protest, demonstrators will pray the rosary while processing to the Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) Basilica at 9:00 pm.
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