Sir, - Rev Michael Manning (June 4th) says I'm unfair to Bishop Finnegan for suggesting he thinks that women who have abortions are "murderers". You will surely allow the bishop space in your Letters page to judge between us. I will apologise immediately if I have misinterpreted him.
No doubt the bishop will keep in mind Evangelium Vitae, 58.3-4, where the Pope deals exclusively with the role of women in procured abortion: "The moral gravity... is apparent in all its truth if we recognise that we are dealing with murder." Women, he says, do not necessarily have abortions for selfish reasons. Nevertheless, these reasons "however serious and tragic, can never justify the deliberate killing of an innocent human being".
Displaying a masterful economy with the truth, Father Manning agrees that "leading authorities" did once deny that a human being exists at conception. In fact, it was the Church's entire centuries-old tradition including popes of much greater stature than John Paul II. In view of this, to call the Pope's view medieval is to insult the Middle Ages.
Father Manning also claims that modern embryology supports the Pope's view. This is wishful thinking. Up to 75 per cent of naturally fertilised eggs die before gestation is complete. Are scientists horrified that countless millions of "innocent human beings" are put to death each year by Nature or God? No. Are bishops horrified at the thought of the vast majority of "innocent human beings", all unbaptised, being deprived of heaven? Perhaps Bishop Finnegan will let us know. - Yours, etc.,
Peter De Rosa, Ashford, Co Wicklow.