Cardinal Danneels reportedly urged Belgian King Badouin to sign liberal abortion law
April 23, 2015
Two prominent Belgian political leaders have confirmed reports that Cardinal Godfried Danneels tried to persuade King Baudouin to sign a liberal abortion law in 1990.
Despite the advice of the former Archbishop of Brussels, King Baudoin refused to sign the legislation. His refusal caused a constitutional crisis, which was resolved when the king agreed to step down temporarily, allowing the legislation to take effect without his approval.
Cardinal Danneels, who resigned in 2010 at the age of 76, has not commented on reports that he was enlisted by political leaders to speak with King Baudouin in an early attempt to avoid an impasse.
King Badouin, who died in 1993, was a devout Catholic whose pro-life convictions were reportedly strengthened by his wife's difficult pregnancies, all of which ended in miscarriages.
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Further information:
- Cardinal Danneels tried to convince Belgian king to sign bill legalizing abortion: former prime minister (LifeSite News)
- 'Danneels wilde dat koning Boudewijn abortuswet ondertekende' (Katholieknieuwsblad)
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Posted by: Minnesota Mary -
Apr. 23, 2015 8:11 PM ET USA
I wrote a letter to King Baudoin thanking him for having the courage to say no to that awful abortion law. He wrote back to me with a very nice letter. If only we had more leaders like King Baudoin and no prelates like Danneels!
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Posted by: -
Apr. 23, 2015 7:59 PM ET USA
I can't imagine why Cardinal Danneels would persuade the king to do such a thing especially since the king was so pro-life; The king should have vetoed the bill to begin with and spared his country this evil.
