Brazil excommunication

Last week, the excommunication of a group of people in Brazil shook up the Catholic world. What really happened? What such reactions and positions in the world? To understand, we must remind the fact. A girl nine years old had an abortion after being rape. Her mother and the doctors, all thought that this decision were the better one. In a medical way, it was too dangerous for the girl having twins.

Yet, just after that, a Brazilian Cardinal excommunicated the mother and her daughter and all the doctors who participate at the abortion. He said in an interview that theses twins “had the right to live and could not be eliminated”, it was “two innocent persons”. Next to this affirmation, all the Catholic leaders in Brazil argued the same. The regional archbishop who practiced the excommunication added that "God's law is above any human law. So when a human law ... is contrary to God's law, this human law has no value". An answer from Vatican approves and defends the excommunication.

This case got a lot of reactions in Brazil. It only allows abortion in cases of rape or if the woman's health is in danger. In all the others cases, abortion is illegal in Brazil. First outside reaction came to President Lula, he explained he can not really understand why the Catholic Church is such conservative. He is himself Christian and catholic. Brazil Health minister added that this behavior is completely “lamentable”.

So what should we think about that? It seems for many people this excommunication in Brazil is not really surprising. As I ever said, Brazil is still a very conservative country. It didn’t legalize yet abortion. So Many women have to abort illegally and some of them still die. That’s Brazil. Sometimes this country appears for us very open minded: all theses girls on the beach wearing bikini, making esthetic surgery. Besides, magazines and newspapers present the sexual liberation in Brazil as a cultural point. Yet, if we go out Rio de Janeiro and all the East Cost, the country seems different. A large part of the population is Christian Catholic and practices it. It’s different than in Europe and especially in France. People are clearly Catholic but most of them don’t practice and won’t do it. Just as small really believe and try to introduce religion in the daily life.

Then, we have to underline the fact that Vatican supports Brazilian’s decision. The actual Pope led Catholic Church in a conservative way, more than is predecessor. Jean Paul II, the former Pope, tried until is death to open minded Catholicism. He kept a traditional line: he was opposed to contraception, euthanasia, abortion… But the dialogue was opened. Today, with the Brazil situation, we are in another configuration. Benoit XVI let no place for discussion. For instance after Vatican II reforms, the celebration in Latin was abandoned and quite forbidden. Benoit XVI reintroduced the celebration in Latin few times ago.

After few days and the world indignation, the National Brazilian bishop Conference denied the excommunication whereas Vatican defends it. In France for example, the National French bishop Conference didn’t react but many bishop took a personal position. Thus, they all agree to say that this decision is unacceptable: “instead of worsen the situation; Brazilian Church should help the family who is suffering”. This situation is still on debate.