Journal 137 – Pope stresses opposition to abortion

Today is May 10, 2007. Yesterday, Pope Benedict XVI began his visit in Brazil. It’s his first papal trip to Latin America. The pope during his trip will inaugurate and important regional bishop’s conference.
On Wednesday, the pope was met at Sao Paulo airport by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. They spoke in Portuguese. Benedict XVI said is certain that the bishops will reinforce, “the promotion of respect for life from the moment of conception until natural death as a integral requirement of human nature”. President Silva, like most Brazilians, is opposed to abortion. President Silva has an audience with the pope today, but they will not talk about abortion. Pope Benedict XVI is expected to address other challenges to Roman Catholicism during his trip: church’s declining influence in Brazil and a deep divide between rich a poor. The present pope, visited Brazil as then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in 1990.