Children cheer as Pope Francis arrives at King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels to celebrate Mass Sept. 29, 2023. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez) In Belgium, the Pope asked for forgiveness for the abuse and cover-up scandal that rocked the country. At the same time, he condemned abortion – using not new, but harsh words. And this is having an effect.
Pope Francis’ harsh words against abortion have apparently triggered a diplomatic crisis between Belgium and the Vatican. Belgium’s Prime Minister Alexander De Croo called the Pope’s statements “unacceptable” and summoned Vatican Ambassador Franco Coppola, as reported by the newspaper “La Repubblica” (Friday).
During his trip to Belgium last week, the Pope described abortion as “murder” and the doctors involved as “contract killers”. “I demand respect for women, who must be able to decide freely about their bodies without interference from the Church,” said De Croo afterwards at a plenary session of the House of Representatives.
At the welcoming ceremony for the Pope in Brussels Castle, the Prime Minister had denounced the scandal of sexual abuse by Belgian clergy – in unusually harsh terms for this diplomatic setting. Francis then deviated from the speech script, visibly moved, expressed “shame” and asked for forgiveness. He did this several times during his four-day trip to Luxembourg and Belgium, which ended on Sunday.
Pope speaks about “criminal laws” in Belgium
On Saturday, Francis visited the grave of King Baudouin (1930-1993) and praised his courage in opposing a “murderous” law; Baudouin had abdicated for 36 hours in 1990 because he refused to sign a law liberalising abortion for reasons of conscience. At the same time, Francis called on Belgians to take their lead from Baudouin, even in the present time, in which further “criminal laws” have been introduced, according to a statement from the Vatican. He also spoke out in favour of the beatification of the Catholic king.
On the flight back to Rome on Sunday, Francis once again described abortions as murder and called doctors who perform them “contract killers”. The Pope had already used this choice of words on several occasions, but it apparently triggered a new debate in the Belgian House of Representatives.
There, the Prime Minister declared: “For a foreign head of state to make such a speech in relation to the laws of our country is completely unacceptable.” He continued: “The time when the Church dictated the law is over.” Furthermore, the Pope’s visit to the grave of King Baudouin was “purely private”, emphasised De Croo.