Abortion law change would be ‘attack’ on unborn, bishops say

The Catholic bishops have warned any attempt to repeal the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution, on the equal right to life of the mother and the unborn, is a “direct attack” on the right to life.

In a statement issued on Wednesday night at the conclusion of their winter meeting in Maynooth, the bishops advised that “the Church teaches that the duty to care for, and to protect, human life extends equally to a mother and her unborn child.”

They reiterated their outright opposition to abortion in all circumstances, including instances of fatal foetal abnormality, rape, or incest.

“If an unborn child suffers from a life-limiting condition, or is conceived as a result of a sexual crime for which s/he bears no responsibility, it would be inhumane to withdraw the protection of our basic law, the Constitution, to their right to life,” they said.

“As Irish society enters the most significant of centenary years it is more pressing than ever ‘to cherish all the children of the nation equally’ whether unborn or born, and irrespective of a child’s health status.”

Strongly endorsing the statement from the bishops of Northern Ireland, criticising a decision of the High Court in Belfast to extend the law there on abortion, they said "as a society our progress should be measured against how effectively we care for the most vulnerable amongst us."

‘Sacred’

They said “human life is sacred. Life at all stages deserves the utmost protection, compassion and care.”

The bishops also discussed the importance of the current COP21 negotiations in Paris and the imperative of “securing a global deal to limit greenhouse gas emission reductions.”

Throughout "the developing world, people are going hungry because crops no longer grow where they once did. People are being displaced by storms, floods and drought. Pope Francis has called for the necessary steps to be taken to address these failings."

At the meeting both Archbishops Eamon Martin and Diarmuid Martin reported on the recent synod of bishops on the family in Rome, at which they represented the Irish church. It was hoped the synod would "encourage a renewed energy for caring for marriage and the family. To support this focus, the Church in Ireland is now preparing for the 9th World Meeting of Families which will take place in Dublin in 2018."

The bishops also congratulated the Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas on its 30th anniversary.