POPE CONDEMNS ABORTION… IN 1588

Way back in 1588, Pope Sixtus V issued an apostolic constitution, called Effraenatam, excommunicating anyone directly involved in abortion, and calling on civil authorities to punish abortionists severely. He uses strong language to condemn the evil of abortion, calling attacks on the unborn person “brutal, cruel, ferocious and inhuman crimes.” Here’s some more from the declaration:

Who will not condemn to a most grave punishment the impiety of him… who has deprived children of life before they could naturally see light or could be protected by maternal body from ferocious cruelty?
Who will not abhor the cruelty and unrestrained debauchery of impious men who have arrived into such a state of mind that they procure poisons in order to extinguish the conceived fetuses within the viscera, and pour them out, trying to provoke by a nefarious crime a violent and untimely death and killing of their progeny?

Finally who will not condemn to a most grave punishment the crimes of those who with poisons, potions and evil actions sterilize women or impede that they conceive or give birth by pernicious medicines and drugs?

No man has the right to infringe or by temerarious audacity contradict this page of Our approval, renewal, sanction, statute, derogation of wills and decrees. If anyone would presume to attempt this he should know that he will incur indignation of Almighty God and of Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul.