Catholic nurses unite to fight against assisted abortions

Catholic nurses in India are facing a growing problem in their profession – increasing pressure to assist in abortions – but are determined to fight against the pressure.

In a recent conference held in Bangalore and attended by some 1,400 nurses, the faithful gained strength in numbers and promised to do more to resist assisting abortions.

Siji K. Mathew, the coordinator of Jesus Youth, a Catholic movement that promotes a Christian lifestyle for younger adults, said some hospital nurses are essentially forced into helping do abortions.

"Some of us had to resign our jobs when we were pressured by the management to assist in abortion procedures," Mathew said, emphasizing the need for "spiritual strength" to withstand such pressure.

He said the convention was a huge help to nurses wanting to take a "strong pro–life stand" in the face of pro–abortion pressure.

At the convention, the nurses prayed together for unborn children who face death from an abortion, asking God to "spare the life of the unborn baby that I have spiritually adopted and who is in danger of being aborted."

The nurses also resolved to help counsel couples to seek abortion alternatives like adoption or keeping their baby.

According to Rt. Archbishop Ignatius Paul Pinto, former Archbishop of Bangalore, the nurses ought to view their jobs not as a career but a mission field. Each nurse has to be "an evangelizer and missionary," he said.