Thank you, Rev Sam Reid

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I WRITE in response to the Rev Sam Reid’s correct criticism of a statement I made on All Angles programme discussing decriminalising abortion under particular circumstances. He took me to task for saying that“God killed His Son”. He is correct. I should have said God permitted His son to be killed. As Jamaicans would say,“Mi mout’ slip” in the heat of the moment. I should have been more careful in my speaking. It is indeed a grave error, for which I am most grateful for the correction.

I trust that this error will not erase my plea for women and girls to be given the often-painful choice of their life over that of the inchoate life, especially in difficult circumstances. May the Church increase our outreach to women and girls for our protection and care, even as the debate of the centuries rage on.

We live in a perfectly imperfect world. The need for the termination of pregnancy I see as a part of that imperfection. Sadly, I see the wisdom of that uncomfortable saying from wisdom literature of the Bible: “There is a time for everything under the sun... “Ecclesiastes 3. Now I see darkly... for now I wish to choose without criminality! Give women choice! PATRICIA DONALD PHILLIPS Development Consultant: Communication for Social and Behaviour Change/Gender specialisation