{"id":267213,"date":"2022-05-05T10:41:29","date_gmt":"2022-05-05T15:41:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=267213"},"modified":"2022-05-05T15:07:45","modified_gmt":"2022-05-05T20:07:45","slug":"priest-slams-malta-politician-pro-lifers-decide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/priest-slams-malta-politician-pro-lifers-decide\/","title":{"rendered":"Priest slams Malta politician’s comments saying pro-lifers shouldn’t ‘decide how people live their lives’"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

One of Malta’s political leaders has made comments that appear to indicate his party may be changing its pro-life stance. In a recent interview<\/a>,\u00a0Nationalist Party (PN) Leader Bernard Grech said that the government shouldn’t tell people how to live their lives \u2014\u00a0particularly in matters of abortion, euthanasia, and IVF.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen it comes to issues like abortion, euthanasia, and IVF, shouldn\u2019t the PN be doing like other European Christian Democrat parties, expressing their beliefs but stating they cannot impose those beliefs on society?\u201d asked the interviewer.<\/p>\n

In response, Grech said, \u201cThe point of departure must change. We must all understand\u2026 I tried to do this but maybe I didn\u2019t try enough\u2026 that we cannot keep thinking that we have a right to decide how people live their lives. I think this point of departure can help us understand better how to relate to the electorate through our policies.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Lovin Malta<\/a>, Grech’s comments are a significant departure from his previous statements, in which he said that the PN “will always remain against abortion,” and that the party will not back any pro-choice politicians. Despite these comments, Grech has not parted with any abortion supporters within his party. Grech has also previously said<\/a> that he was\u00a0\u201cproud that [his] party is in favour of life,\u201d and that he had \u201cnever had a problem with swimming against the current.\u201d<\/p>\n

READ:\u00a0New Malta political party releases manifesto calling for legal abortion and assisted suicide<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Grech’s comments have drawn the ire of the Catholic church in Malta, with one prominent priest challenging Grech’s more recent statements.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn its electoral manifesto, the PN promised to decide how people should live their lives in several sectors, such as hunting, planning and development,\u201d wrote<\/a>\u00a0Monsignor\u00a0Anton Gouder. \u201cWill [Grech] tell us that we don\u2019t have a right to decide how people live their lives on these issues too?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am awaiting the response to be that these sectors impact the rights of other people and future generations. If so, then should politicians get to decide how people should live their lives when the rights of other people and future generations are at stake?\u00a0Therefore, doesn\u2019t the murder of an unborn child (abortion) impact the rights of other people and future generations?\u201d<\/p>\n

Malta has long been considered one of the most pro-life countries in the world, but many are trying to influence the nation to\u00a0embrace<\/a> abortion, IVF<\/a>, and assisted suicide. While the country has thus far resisted pressure<\/a> to change its laws on abortion, Grech’s comments show that there is still a need for pro-life activism and education within the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike\u201d Live Action News on Facebook<\/a>\u00a0for more pro-life news and commentary!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One of Malta’s political leaders has made comments that appear to indicate his party may be changing its pro-life stance. In a recent interview,\u00a0Nationalist Party (PN) Leader Bernard Grech said that the government shouldn’t tell people how to live their lives \u2014\u00a0particularly in matters of abortion, euthanasia, and IVF. \u201cWhen it comes to issues like […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":607,"featured_media":267238,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false},"categories":[5,4,3473],"tags":[19,1303,16885,498,756,10221,17135,16884,4881],"yoast_head":"\nPriest slams Malta politician's comments saying pro-lifers shouldn't 'decide how people live their lives'<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Monsignor Anton Gouder pointed out the hypocrisy of politicians legislating on some areas of life, then claiming decisions ending human life are off-limits.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link 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