Cardinal Fernando Chomali, the archbishop of Santiago and primate of Chile, has reignited debate over the country’s proposed “Listen to Their Heart” bill, which would require that women be offered the opportunity to hear their unborn baby’s heartbeat before an abortion.
The bill, currently under consideration in Chile’s legislature, would modify the health code to mandate that doctors inform women about embryonic or fetal heart activity and offer them a chance to hear it prior to pregnancy termination.
In an interview with La Tercera, the cardinal shifted the focus to healthcare professionals. “It pains me that there are doctors who agree to perform an abortion,” he said.
Chomali expressed regret over a tweet in which he stated that every mother should rejoice at hearing a heartbeat. “It pains me to have been a source of division in that regard,” he emphasized.
He reaffirmed his opposition to abortion under all circumstances, including the three grounds currently legal in Chile: rape, fetal non-viability, and risk to the mother’s life. “I believe those three grounds should not exist,” he stated, drawing on his experience accompanying women through difficult situations.
He called for comprehensive support for women facing crisis pregnancies. “When there is medical, psychological, spiritual, and financial support, women feel more supported and decide against abortion,” he said.
Regarding doctors who perform abortions, he remarked: “I find that terrible; I think that instead of showing the heartbeat to a woman facing a very difficult, complex situation, it would be very good for that heartbeat to be heard by a doctor who is committed to healing, curing, and caring for life.”
He noted that doctors take an oath to “do everything possible to heal and never to cause harm,” and argued that abortion objectively harms a human being.
Chomali called for a review of current regulations, stating, “It’s always the right time to examine all laws, because laws can be improved.”
“If you look at the bigger picture, a human life is being eliminated,” he summarized.
Speaking to Radio Duna, the cardinal described the bill as “one bill among many” that must be decided by the legislature. He emphasized the need for “great prudence, tact, and good judgment” in handling the matter and suggested that while a woman could always choose to hear the heartbeat, making it mandatory would be open to discussion.
He cautioned against polarizing language, insisting, “What does not seem right to me is the use of language that serves only to polarize, when what matters is the truth.”
According to a report by EWTN News, the bill has sparked significant debate in Chile, with supporters arguing it provides essential information to women and opponents claiming it is coercive. The cardinal’s comments have further intensified the conversation.
Chomali concluded with a poignant declaration: “Someone told me that with this attitude of mine, I mean, opposing the three grounds for abortion, I would turn half the world against me and end up all alone. I would rather stand alone than betray something as fundamental as the truth: that there is an innocent human being who deserves every possible care that could be given to it.”
