Row over Catholics and abortion law

The Archbishop of Cardiff has called upon Catholics to oppose plans to liberalise the abortion laws, to criticism from pro-choice advocates.

In a letter and a leaflet to parish priests in England and Wales, the Most Rev Peter Smith warned that amendments to be voted on this year in the Commons would make abortions easier and more widespread and lead to the possibility of teenage girls taking abortion pills alone at home.

Smith said it would be “very helpful” if clergy could “in a suitable way” draw the attention of the parish community to the matter by giving them the leaflet.

“Time is of the essence, as approaches to MPs would need to be made over the next few weeks,” he added.

The church is concerned about moves to overturn the need to have two doctors authorise an abortion, allow abortions anywhere that health services are offered, allow abortion drugs to be taken at home without medical supervision and extend abortion laws to Northern Ireland. The leaflet says:

“These proposals, in permitting abortion on demand without any health-related justification, remove every vestige of protection for the unborn child ... Letters are most effective when they are written in your own words and express what you are most concerned about ... Most of these amendments would make abortion more widespread, would lead to women having less time to think before abortion, and leave women facing abortion at home and alone without medical supervision. How do you feel about this?”

The campaign comes days after the Archbishop of Birmingham, Vince Nichols, told Catholic schools it was their duty to deliver sex and relationship education in a way that was “always” designed according to the teachings of the church, The Guardian reports.

In a letter to The Guardian on 3 October, pro-choice advocates responded:

“The Catholic church is exhorting Catholics to oppose parliamentary reform of abortion law despite support for pragmatic modernisation from medical and nursing bodies and patient groups. The legal requirement for two doctors’ signatures can delay women from abortion care. Reforms would permit abortion under the 24-week limit to be offered on the basis of informed patient consent and good clinical practice, as with other medical treatment.

“Reforms would allow early abortions in community settings, such as GPs’ surgeries, where appropriate. With medical abortion under nine weeks’ gestation, reforms would allow one of the drugs used to be taken at home, as is routine in the US. These drugs are already taken at home by UK women after early natural miscarriage. The reforms aim to allow abortion earlier, which is acknowledged to be safer and less invasive.

“Another proposal would extend the 1967 Act to Northern Ireland. UK citizens deserve equal legal rights to healthcare wherever they live and Northern Irish women should not have to travel to Britain for abortion in secrecy and stigma at their own expense. The Catholic church often speaks out against injustice and inequality, and supports the exercise of individual conscience in accordance with its beliefs. In contrast, sadly, its position on reproductive rights perpetuates injustice against women and fails to respect women’s considered decisions, made in good conscience.”

Signed by:

Jon O’Brien, Catholics for Choice, Ann Furedi, British Pregnancy Advisory Service, Julie Bentley, Family Planning Association, Simon Blake, Brook, John Bercow MP, Con, Buckingham, Dr Evan Harris MP, Lib Dem, Oxford West and Abingdon, Emily Thornberry MP, Lab, Islington South & Finsbury, Dr Wendy Savage, Doctors for a Woman’s Choice on Abortion, Marge Behrer, Voice for Choice, Lisa Hallgarten, Education for Choice, Louise Hutchins, Abortion Rights

Catholics must mobilise against abortion reforms, says archbishop The Guardian, 30 September 2008

Catholic church and the right to choose The Guardian, 3 October 2008