Sister universities VUB and ULB, as well as associated university hospital UZ Brussels, have strongly criticised comments about abortion made by Pope Francis on his flight home from Belgium on Sunday. They call on the Belgian government to ensure "consequences" for his statements.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo has summoned the Vatican's ambassador to Belgium over the Pope's comments, which De Croo has said were "unacceptable".
During an in-flight press conference on Sunday as the Pope flew from Brussels back to Rome (after a four-day visit to Belgium), the head of the Catholic Church labelled doctors who perform abortions as "hitmen".
"On this you cannot argue. You are killing a human life," the pontiff said. He also called Belgium's late King Baudouin a "saint" for refusing to sign legislation legalising abortion in 1990. This unprecedented refusal required Baudouin abdicate for a day rather than to carry out the monarch's formal function.
During a mass in King Baudouin Stadium on Sunday, the Pontiff confirmed that he would begin the beatification process for Belgium's fifth King, a preliminary step needed before a deceased person can be canonised as a saint.
Visiting King Baudouin's tomb on Saturday, Pope Francis sparked anger among civil organisations in Belgium when he spoke of Baudouin's "courage" in not signing a "murderous" abortion law.
In an open letter published in De Standaard this week, VUB, ULB and UZ Brussels said that the Pope's comments cannot be allowed to go "without consequences".
"Freedom of speech is sacred to us, and the Holy See may also make use of it. But whoever makes slanderous accusations is no longer exercising freedom of speech, but is guilty of spreading hatred," the letter reads.
King Baudouin welcomes Pope John Paul II to Belgium on the last papal visit in 1985. Credit: Belga
Contentious comments
The universities have demanded that the Belgian government call the papal nuncio (a diplomat of the Church) in Brussels to account.
Prime Minister Alexander De Croo was critical of the Catholic Church's legacy of sex abuses and cover-ups at a reception for the Pope on Friday at the Palace of Laeken. He stressed that the institution needs to "regain the deeply damaged trust", adding that "words alone are not enough, we also need concrete steps".
Pope Francis left Belgium on Sunday afternoon after a four-day visit which was intended to mark the 600th anniversary of two of the country's Catholic universities but at every turn was marked by questions of how the Catholic Church is handling clerical abuse scandals.
Acknowledging the "sharp message" to the Pope from De Croo, in their letter VUB, ULB and UZ Brussels say that it was not enough to prevent the Pope from doubling down on his comments regarding abortion.
An 'unheard of" diplomatic incident
The universities emphasised that abortion is about "self-determination" and "responsible parenthood". They strongly condemned the accusation by the Pope that doctors who are legally performing abortions in Belgium are committing murder.
"It is unheard of that a foreign Head of State – which is what Pope Francis is – assumes the right to attack a law of another democratic country, and to accuse doctors applying this law of murder. A Head of State who speaks against democratic laws with such perfidious statements is undoubtedly committing a diplomatic incident."
The universities noted that there will always be "ethical dilemmas" around abortion and balancing the right of a woman to decide about her own body and the protection of the foetus.
But they pointed out that more than 30 years after the Lallemand-Michielsen law (which King Baudouin opposed), experts from seven universities agree that abortion legislation should be changed to extend the time period in which abortions are permitted. At present, an abortion can be had within 12 weeks of conception.
The Office of Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said on Monday that the Belgian government does not take responsibility for the actions and statements of visiting foreign Heads of State.
However, on Thursday De Croo told a plenary session that he has summoned the Vatican's ambassador to Belgium for a discussion following remarks made by Pope Francis.
"It is totally unacceptable for a foreign head of state to comment on our country's laws in such a manner. The time when the Church dictated terms is behind us," De Croo asserted, responding to Sarah Schlitz (Ecolo-Groen), Katja Gabriëls (Open Vld), Charlotte Deborsu (MR), and Caroline Désir (PS).
De Croo also noted that the Vatican envoy had been summoned previously concerning the sexual abuse case involving former Bishop of Bruges, Roger Vangheluwe.
