Courage is required to restate the most essential things : Thou shalt not kill. We cannot dispose of a human being at his birth nor at his death. Life belongs to God. If man arrogates the right to dispose of his brother’s life, we no longer live in a culture where there is equality of rights, we are in culture where the rights of the strongest dominate. The strongest imposes his right, his supposed right, more exactly. What we have defined as the right to abortion is not a true right because it violates another’s rights. We must recall these things, enter into conflict with the dominant culture up to a certain point, at least in certain countries, and thus risk exposing ourselves to criticism. Witnessing to the truth in the name of Christ obliges us to this audacious claim, which must always be spoken with respect.
--Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Actualité et avenir du Concile oecuménique Vatican II
