(CNS News) -- By signing into law a bill that repeals the Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act, Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker has granted a "victory to evil" and, like a "hit man," has "promoted and facilitated murder," said Catholic Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki, head of the Diocese of Springfirled in Illinois.
“Governor Pritzker’s signing of HB 370 [on Dec. 17], the deceptively titled Illinois Youth Health and Safety Act, which repeals the Parental Notice of Abortion Act, marks a dark and disgraceful moment in the history of the State of Illinois," said Bishop Paprocki in a statement.
"Those legislators who promoted and voted in support of this legislation, and the governor who signed this unjust law, have granted a five-part victory to evil in our state," said the bishop.
“First, our government has granted a free pass to sex traffickers," said Paprocki. "Those who enslave young women and girls throughout our state can now even more easily than ever before cover up their crimes with impunity."
"Those in law enforcement and social service who fight so hard to combat this evil as well as those young women and girls who are enslaved by evil forces in this industry have been dealt a demoralizing blow by our government," said the bishop.
Prior to Pritzker's repeal of the parental notification law, minor girls (age 17 and under), had to at least inform a parent or legal guardian, if they wanted to get an abortion. Pritzker's action eliminated that requirement.
"With reproductive rights under attack across the nation, Illinois is once again establishing itself as a leader in ensuring access to health care services,” said Gov. Pritzker on Friday, Dec. 17. “This repeal was essential, because it was the most vulnerable pregnant minors who were punished by this law: victims of rape and physical abuse in unsafe homes."
According to the Guttmacher Institute, however, only 1% of women nationally said they had an abortion because they were a victim of rape. In addition, less than 0.5% of women said they had an abortion because they were a victim of incest.
"[O]ur government has violated God’s will in stripping the authority and responsibility entrusted to parents," said Bishop Paprocki. "This legislative action violates the most fundamental rights and duties entrusted by God to parents to ensure the health and safety of their children. This is a right and responsibility that God grants, and which no government can take away. In attempting to do so, this legislation acts directly against God’s will, which is the very definition of evil."
“Fourth, and most grievous, our government has promoted and facilitated murder," said the bishop. "Pope Francis has rightly called abortion murder and ‘hiring a hit man to solve a problem.’ This most heinous offense against God and neighbor is now made more easily accessible to minor children than tattoos or getting their ears pierced."
“Fifth, the government has provided evil the cover of darkness in which it thrives," said the bishop. "The devil desires darkness and despises the light. It is striking how much this legislation does to provide cover, secrecy, and darkness over evil deeds."
Gov. J.B. Pritzker, 56, is a member of the Pritzker family, which owns the Hyatt Hotel chain, and he personally has an estimated net worth of $3.6 billion.
Although reared in a Jewish family and a supporter of Jewish causes, J.B. Pritzker is very left-wing and does not support Judaism's traditional teaching against abortion.
In a recent brief submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court, the Jewish Pro-Life Foundation, the Coalition for Jewish Values, and several prominent rabbis documented Judaism's prohibition against abortion, except in the most extreme case where the mother's life is in physical danger.
"Judaism has a strong legal tradition of protecting human life and prohibiting the murder of 'infant life' in the womb," reads the brief. "Abortion is antithetical to Torah principles. The act of abortion, and the industry that promotes and benefits financially from it, violates all Jewish ethics and morals. The history of Judaism includes many existential threats to Jewish life in the form of state sponsored mass murder. This makes us especially sensitive to the plight of the child in the womb, whose protection under the law was completely abrogated by Roe v. Wade, Doe v. Bolton and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. This tragic human rights violation must be remedied."
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law.... From its conception, the child has the right to life. Direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, is a 'criminal' practice, gravely contrary to the moral law. The Church imposes the canonical penalty of excommunication for this crime against human life."
Concluding his statement, Bishop Paprocki said, "We pray this day for a conversion of heart and a renewal of mind among those in authority who perpetrated this evil on our people. We pray solemnly this day also for the protection of the many children and families imperiled by this unjust law.”