(Zenit.org).- The United Kingdom's abortion statistics are a "badge of shame" for the nation, Cardinal Keith O’Brien told Britain's 646 parliamentarians in a letter.
The archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh urged the legislators in letters sent this week to vote against proposed amendments to the Human Fertilization and Embryology Bill that would effectively establish abortion on demand.
The amendments would permit abortion with the approval of only one doctor, and would also permit nurses and midwives to perform abortions.
The Human Fertilization and Embryology Bill, approved in May, allows for the creation of human-animal hybrids, the creation of "savior siblings," legislates that fathers are not a necessary prerequisite for seeking in vitro fertilization, and sets the upper limit for abortions at 24 weeks of gestation.
“We already have a shamefully high level of abortions in the United Kingdom,” wrote the cardinal, who is also the president of the bishops' conference of Scotland.
Cardinal O'Brien said the amendments would only “make early abortion more readily available.”
“We face the prospect of making the United Kingdom more ubiquitous in Europe for its barbarity in dealing with the unborn, he said. "Our spiraling abortion statistics are already a badge of shame for our nation.
“Now the ideologues would have us remove what little restraint there is in relation to abortion.”
The archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh urged the legislators in letters sent this week to vote against proposed amendments to the Human Fertilization and Embryology Bill that would effectively establish abortion on demand.
The amendments would permit abortion with the approval of only one doctor, and would also permit nurses and midwives to perform abortions.
The Human Fertilization and Embryology Bill, approved in May, allows for the creation of human-animal hybrids, the creation of "savior siblings," legislates that fathers are not a necessary prerequisite for seeking in vitro fertilization, and sets the upper limit for abortions at 24 weeks of gestation.
“We already have a shamefully high level of abortions in the United Kingdom,” wrote the cardinal, who is also the president of the bishops' conference of Scotland.
Cardinal O'Brien said the amendments would only “make early abortion more readily available.”
“We face the prospect of making the United Kingdom more ubiquitous in Europe for its barbarity in dealing with the unborn, he said. "Our spiraling abortion statistics are already a badge of shame for our nation.
“Now the ideologues would have us remove what little restraint there is in relation to abortion.”
6 comments:
G'aun yersel big man...I mean Your Grace
Jim
From wet liberal to brave champion - who says there's no Charism in the ordination and appointment?
Report Stage & Third Reading are going ahead on the same day: 14th July. There's still time to write to MPs.
We do not realise what a barbaric country we have become. It is necessary only to walk down the street to Brighton sea front. If you still are not convinced, look at the red-top headlines.
As I said in my blog, things look different from the outside. We will all have to pay for this evil.
To expand on my previous comment - How will we pay for this?
First, Britain has a demographic problem as the age profile of the country becomes skewed with too few young people. This will lead to economic problems as there will be too few to look after those who need looking after and to cover for those who are no longer economically active. The gap will have to be partially filled by immigration. This is not necessarily a bad thing but it depends on the cultural background of the immigrants. It could change Britain for the better. On the other hand it could change it for the worse. Large scale immigration from societies which have very different values could open a Pandora's box of trouble, leading to social strife. Relying on immigration is a risky strategy.
The second and bigger problem is that the tolerance of easy abortion is one of the factors leading to a wider social breakdown. The wave of crime amongst young people is on consequence. The unfolding financial catastrophe is another - this still has far to go as the economic consequences kick in. These look as if they will have ugly political ones as the extravagant credit-powered lifestyle people have taken for granted becomes no longer possible. There is a connection, because the buy-now, pay-later get-rich-quick mentality that rules in Britain comes from the same mindset that tolerates easy abortion.
The economic price will be accompanied by a political price and a social price. The basic qualities of decency that used to rule British life are on the way out and that this legislation is going through is both symptom, and, in turn, cause of further decay.
Actions have consequences at many different levels.
Henry,
I have to say I fear God's justice more than anything else. The slaughter of the innocent is a sin that cries out to heaven for justice. Be in no doubt God will punish us as a nation for this. Expect to see far worse than social strains. I really don't think any sacrifice will be made for the old. When you look at the direction we are going in it seems most likely that they will be murdered in the future just as the unborn are being murdered now.
The human/animal hybrid was the last straw. If there was any doubt about the intentions of the rulers of this nation the passing of that bill dispelled it. We are dealing with the diabolical disorientation. I'm not intent on wallowing in doom and gloom but when you look at the evidence you can logically conclude that at the highest levels of governments, extermination and steralisation have been embraced.
We have upbraided ourselves and the pro-life movement for failure to turn the tide on this murderous cult. I think we have been blind. We keep thinking that it is stupidity that governs inept policies in these areas. Now that the evidence is clear we need to call it out. Call it by its name. Murder. Fr Frank Pavone in the priests for life movement insists that we stick images in peoples faces to wake them up to the slaughter. This is very effective. Remember the people who tell us that we must not do this are the murderers. It is time for a more open battle with this death cult. Since it is based on lies and murder we can see it is a diabolical type because he was a liar and a murderer from the beginning. Prayer and fasting are our strongest/maybe only weapons. There are only two outcomes. God's justice or God's mercy. Pray for mercy and grace to fill the hearts of our leaders, to open their hearts and turn away from this evil. God's justice in response to the slaughter of the innocence is too terrible to contemplate.
Look what they are doing in Uganda a country which has done so well.
AIDS
How long Oh Lord, how long.
We need to pray and fast for mercy and conversion.
I am a Protestant, so don't share the Catholic teaching, and have mixed views about abortion. A woman's body is her property, and no-one else should tell her what she can and can't do with it. At the same time, I don't approve of social abortion. If you are old enough to have sex, you are old enough to use contraception. This of course cannot apply to women who are allergic to all forms of contraception, and there are documented cases.
A woman who has been raped, who is too ill to survive a pregnancy, or who absolutely does not under any circumstances want children should be entitled to an abortion without question. No child should be left with a potentially abusive mother, or promptly subjected to losing their mother at their birth.
The careless, the drunk, or the stoned should be told to go away and live with the consequences. Rather than picketing abortion/family planning clinics, those who are pro-life/members of the Catholic Church should set up adoption agencies in the same streets. They could provide an immediate and obvious alternative.
Finally, Cardinal O'Brien and Cardinal Murphy O'Connor should have the courage of their convictions, and publicly excommunicate any Catholic MPs who vote for legislation permitting abortions. It should be made clear: you are either an obedient Catholic or you are not.
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