” “Last Thursday, 19th October, the Portuguese Parliament approved the proposed referendum on abortion, which is now going to be submitted to the Constitutional Court, then the President of the Republic will take a final decision on the consultation, which should take place within 40 to 180 days later. In the meantime, cardinal José Policarpo, Patriarch of Lisbon, explained he has never made any appeal to abstention, but actually wished all the members of the Church and all those who intend to "defend life" will take part in the referendum campaign. Following Parliament’s decision, the Portuguese Bishops Conference too issued an official note in which it expressly invites the Catholics to vote "against" the referendum question and proactively involve laity too in the social debate: “For Catholic devotees, abortion is a great sin, because it violates the 5th Commandment of God’s Law Thou shall not kill -; this does not change even if it is legally authorised”, reads the document: “We, the bishops, do not intend to carry out a political campaign, but we cannot refrain from giving our contribution to enlighten the consciences about the dignity of human life since its conception”.” “
