In India, Catholic nurses are under pressure to assist in abortions

"When 1,400 young Catholic nurses gathered for the first time at a nationalCatholic convention in India, they found strength in numbers to standagainst abortion and any other practices against Catholic ethics.

'Called to be His Healing Hands' was the theme of the three-day conventionthat ended May 14 in Bangalore, capital of Karnataka state, 2,060kilometers south of New Delhi.

Jesus Youth, a movement that promotes a Catholic lifestyle among youths inthe face of modern-day challenges, brought together the youngprofessionals, who mostly work in secular institutions.

In hospitals, nurses are forced to assist in abortions, according to Siji K. Mathew, Karnataka coordinator of the movement among nurses, who said theconvention focused on the 'strong pro-life stand' Catholic nurses should take in such situations.

'Some of us had to resign our jobs when we were pressured by the managementto assist in abortion procedures,' Mathew told UCA News, emphasizing theneed for 'spiritual strength' to withstand such pressure."

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