Interim staff
The head of Ukraine’s Institute for Protection of Life has appealed to Canadian pro-lifers for support in counteracting the anti-life mentality in eastern Europe.
Dr. Ivan Louts, who also serves as a member of the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy of Life, visited several Canadian cities in April to draw attention to the pro-life scene in his native country.
Dr. Louts’ host in the Toronto area was Bishop Roman Danylak of the Ukrainian Catholic eparchy.
Dr. Louts told Campaign Life officials that 70 years of communist rule have serious consequences for life and family in Ukraine. In addition to suppressing spiritual and religious values, communist promoted a cynical, secular outlook on human affairs.
“The people really had no sense of sin or wrong doing,” Dr. Louts said.
With an annual abortion rate nearing one million, Ukraine ranks third in the world in the number of abortions committed. Only Russia and Romania rank higher than Ukraine.
He estimated that due to abortion and contraception, six unborn children die in Ukraine for every live birth.
Efforts to overcome the abortion mentality are hampered by the secular values of the former communist regime and by ongoing economic problems.
He asked for the support of Canadians to distribute pro-life educational material, particularly information about natural family planning, in Ukraine.
He believes the Ukrainian people are open to the pro-life message and expressed hope that greater education will make a tremendous difference in combating secular values.
Then Polish example, he said, where the pro-life cause is flourishing after years of widespread abortion and contraception, serves as an inspiration to Ukrainians.
For more information, contact the Institute of Protection of Life, 79 “B” Promyslova St. 290059, Lviv, Ukraine (e-mail ken@ugkc.lviv.ua).
