Vatican Attacks Obama's Abortion Funding Plan

January 25, 2009 7:38 a.m. EST

Vatican City, Vatican (AHN) - The Vatican on Sunday criticized President Barack Obama's plan to restore funding for family planning clinics outside of the U.S. that provide advice on or carry out abortions.

Senior Vatican official Monsignor Rino Risichella called on Mr. Obama to without "the arrogance of those who, being in power, believe they can decide of life and death."

Fisichella, who heads the Vatican's Pontifical Academy for Life, was quoted by the Italian newspaper Corrierre della Sera as saying, "If this is one of President Obama's first acts, I have to say, in all due respect, that we're heading quickly toward disappointment."

Another official, Monsignor Elio Sgreccia said the move is a big blow to groups against the "the slaughter of the innocents," describing the plan as against Catholics across the globe.

Obama on Friday restored Federal funding to international groups that provide abortions or give advise on the issue. The White House defended the move saying this is inline with the U.S. and other nations fight against poverty and the promotion of health care.

But the Vatican sees the move as destroying the legal limits of abortions.

Also on Sunday, Vatican health spokesman Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan condemns the decision of the Italian government to make a controversial abortion pill available in hospitals within days.

Barragan said the approval of the use of the RU486 pill for distribution in February is like taking the life of an innocent person, saying an embryo is a human with its own rights.