Archbishop warns of ‘liberal abortion law’

Top cleric concerned at prospect of repealing Eighth Amendment

THE Catholic Church has warned a liberal abortion regime is likely in Ireland if the public vote to scrap the Eighth Amendment.

A pro-life new year message from Archbishop Eamon Martin was distributed to parishes in the North-east last night.

A referendum on repealing the Eight Amendment of the Irish Constitution, which acknowledges the equal right to life of a mother and her unborn child, is likely to be held in May or June.

The Archbishop questioned whether abortion regimes in Britain and Sweden, where from 20% to 25% of pregnancies are aborted, was something Ireland sought to copy. He said: “The direct and intentional taking of innocent human life is always gravely wrong.

“In the name of modernising healthcare the committee proposes a very liberal abortion regime, including unrestricted access to abortion up to 12 weeks and thereafter during pregnancy, very broad grounds for abortion and access to abortion.

“The Catholic Church, in common with many other people of goodwill, teaches that ending the life of an unborn child, like the taking of any other

WORRIED Archbishop innocent human life, is always evil and can never be justified. “To repeal this article will leave unborn children defenceless and completely at the mercy of whatever abortion laws are introduced in Ireland – both immediately and as will inevitably be further broadened in future years. “We should focus our energies and resources on making Ireland the most welcoming country in the world for a woman and her baby in the womb.”