Bishops express dismay at
abortion legislation for Northern Ireland
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| Pro-life advocates in front of Stormont Estate in Belfast, October 2019 (AFP) |
Northern Ireland Bishops express their sadness and dismay at
the British Government’s decision to introduce abortion legislation in Northern
Ireland.
By Vatican News
The Bishops of Northern Ireland issued on Tuesday a
statement saying they are dismayed at the British Government’s decision “to
introduce extreme regulations for the delivery of abortion services in Northern
Ireland.”
They note that, at a time when medical staff are doing all
they can to save lives during the Coronavirus outbreak, “these regulations (on
abortion) do not reflect the overwhelming will of most people in Northern
Ireland to protect the life of every human being.”
The Bishops point out that the legislation goes far beyond
“what is legally required by the Northern Ireland Act (2019), (‘the Act’), and
utterly ignores the views of many citizens – women and men - who responded to
the consultation exercise last December.”
They also underline that the implementation of these
regulations, “will facilitate one of the most liberal abortion regimes anywhere
in the world.”
“From this week onwards”, the Bishops say, “some unborn
children will be left completely defenceless. No-one will be able to do
anything for them once the decision to abort has finally been made.”
“The life of every mother and her unborn baby matters. These
new regulations are predicated on the legal assumption that the unborn child
has no rights, unless the child is wanted,” they add.
In the statement, the Bishops point out that there is still
time to act, and that “members of the Northern Ireland Assembly are not left
entirely devoid of influence.” The Regulations themselves, they note,
“can be debated by the Assembly and insofar as they exceed the strict
requirements of the 2019 Act, new Regulations can be enacted by the Assembly.”
The Bishops conclude by saying that they intend to write to
their Assembly Members in the coming days and encourage others to do likewise.
They also express their commitment “to working with all sectors of society, so
that this culture of life becomes a reality for everyone.”
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