New primate in row over euthanasia and abortion

Catholic hospitals have the right to refuse to perform abortions or euthanasia, says the new primate of Belgium, Archbishop Jozef De Kesel (pictured right).

His remarks during an interview with the daily newspaper Het Belang van Limburg have sparked his first public controversy, even as he was still unpacking his boxes after transferring from Bruges to Brussels last month.

De Kesel told the paper that he knew secular-minded Belgians had no problem with the two procedures, adding: “But this is not obvious in my faith. We have the right not to do it in our hospitals.”

Politicians and “right to die” activists accused De Kesel of ignoring Belgian law, which has allowed abortion since 1990 and euthanasia since 2002. Belgium has gradually loosened initial restrictions to allow people with psychological problems – including a murderer suffering anguish because of his life sentence – to choose voluntary death. Several critics argued that Catholic hospitals receive state subsidies and so could not opt out on religious grounds. The strong reaction was partly prompted by surprise that De Kesel, whose moderate reputation made him more acceptable to liberal opinion than his more conservative predecessor André-Joseph Léonard, should be so clear on Church teaching.

“We were happy when he arrived, he seemed like an open man,” said Jacqueline Herremans, head of the Association for the Right to Die with Dignity. “I didn’t expect comments like this.”

Senate President Christine Defraigne said the freedom of conscience guaranteed in the euthanasia law was for individuals and “does not apply to a hospital”.