Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Obituary Dr. Robert Walley


We at European Life Network (ELN) have noted with great sadness the passing of our friend and colleague Dr. Robert (Rob) Walley, founder of MaterCare International, a pro-life international organization of Catholic health professionals dedicated to the care of mothers and babies. Rob died of cancer on June 22 at ST JOHN’S, Newfoundland he was 81.
Rob is survived by his wife Susan, three daughters, four sons and 15 grandchildren, according to his online obituary.

“Robert has an extraordinary life as an OB/GYN, a Master of International Public Health (Harvard), Emeritus Professor at Memorial University.  Instrumental to the start of the Family Life Bureau of Newfoundland, a member of the Right to Life association, appointed by Pope John Paul II to the Pontifical Council for Health and a member of the Order of the Knights of Malta. Recipient of the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice (The Cross of Honour). He leaves a great legacy of bringing thousands of children into the world as well as creating MaterCare International, which provides safe motherhood for women in developing countries.”
MaterCare International is a group of Catholic obstetricians and gynaecologists, midwives and general practitioners whose mission is “to improve the lives and health of mothers and babies, both born and unborn” and to reduce abortion worldwide and “maternal and perinatal mortality, morbidity in developing countries” through service, training, research, and advocacy, its website states.
It has projects in Nigeria, Ghana, East Timor, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Rwanda, and an ongoing project in Kenya, where it built and maintains a hospital for high-risk mothers.

Among the many contacts we had with Rob over the years, ELN’s Patrick Buckley worked jointly with Dr Walley, Fr Richard Taylor and Dr. Bogdan Chazan, in the development of a charter of rights for mothers which it is hoped will someday become standard practice. 

           A CHARTER OF RIGHTS OF MOTHERS

Motherhood should be perceived as a gift, there is no right to have a baby.

Mothers to be, have the right to be prepared for family life, receiving ethical education in sexuality that respects moral, social, cultural and religious values and, should receive accurate and understandable information about the menstrual cycle, ovulation and fertility signs.  

Every mother has a right to respect for her dignity, her religious, moral, social, and cultural values, and the right to be free from every form of discrimination or coercion, before, during and after childbirth.

In the case of infertility, infertile couples have the right to receive ethical medical care and treatment comprising responsible and reliable guidance about fertility awareness methods and medical help that respects both human dignity and the life of every unborn child 

Every mother must have access to comprehensive prenatal care including effective health education in preparation for safe delivery and social support adequate to family needs. She should be cared for when indigent, deserted or suffering from illness.

Every mother has the right to refuse prenatal diagnosis and coercion or pressure to terminate her pregnancy.

Mothers have the right to have access to a safe, clean, adequately equipped, family centred delivery rooms and safe transportation facilities when necessary.

Every mother must have access to skilled medical care during delivery and have access to specialist’ care when complications occurs.

Mothers have the right to receive proper medical care and support in hospital and at home during postpartum period, including childcare, breastfeeding advice and morally acceptable natural family planning information and advice.

Mothers have the right to rest after delivery for adequate time receiving proper family help and social support.

Mothers together with husbands have the right to educate their children and to a reasonable share of the husband’s income for maintenance and education of the children, according to their needs and number.

In the absence of sufficient family resources the mother should receive necessary assistance from the community or the state. 

Mothers living in developing countries have the right to receive from higher – income countries any forms of help (goods, services, facilities) needed to protect their health and lives.

Every mother has the right to retain her fertility, and to be free of coercion and not be subjected to         medical or surgical sterilization or abortion.

Every mother and every child has a right to survival so as not to die during pregnancy and childbirth as a consequence of abortion or lack of essential obstetrical care.


Patrick Buckley in conjunction with the Holy See,  the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children and Campaign Life Coalition Canada were also deeply honoured to have Dr. Walley speak as one of our expert panelists during a recent United Nations event In New York on best practices in maternal healthcare.

We at ELN express our  deepest sympathies to Robert’s Wife Susan and his family 
May he rest in peace

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Poems from WHY an Anthology of Pro-Life Verse



THE SILENT LAMBS

How silent the Lamb in his tomb,
How silent the Lamb who was slain.

How silent the lambs in the womb,
How silent the lambs who are slain.

How silent the tombs where they’re lain,
How silent the holocaust,

Like the Lamb who was slain arose
The lambs in their turn will arise

Like the Lamb who was slain forgave
The lambs in their turn will forgive

Patrick Buckley  ©



Tuesday, March 6, 2018

WHY: Anthology of Pro-Life Verse

Patrick Buckley in 1997 published a small anthology of pro-life verse.
This collection of pro-life poems explores different aspects of the greatest evil of our time, the killing of unborn babies.

The Irish Government are determined to remove the constitutional protection of unborn life in Ireland and have decided that there will be a Referendum at the end of May 2018 to do so.

Publication of poems from this collection and is intended to highlight the tragedy of the Government approach and inform anyone willing to listen and to understand.

The collection includes 17 poems which will be reprinted here over the next few weeks as we approach the date of the Referendum.


VOICE

Will you be my voice,
O Voice of Voices.
Will you defend me, 
      And speak against false choices

Will you shut your ears,
And block out all my pleading.
Be my voice, speak,
Speak now o voice,
And influence that choice.

Patrick Buckley ©

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Spiritual Crusade for the defence of unborn life

It is abundantly clear that the entire process leading up to the decision to hold a referendum was weighted in favour of a pro-abortion agenda. It was also abundantly clear, to anyone who was watching, that pro-life arguments have been ignored, rubbished or stifled however we are determined to oppose this one-sided process and to get the truth to every household in Ireland and to every citizen, prior to the May Referendum. Many groups and individuals are committed to door to door canvassing to spread the word.

For our part we believe that it is not appropriate in any civilised society to cast votes on who should live and who should die, accordingly we have launched various initiatives to oppose this appalling  culture of death and to uphold the right to life of unborn babies 
First we prepared an explanatory video in conjunction with the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC)  which can be found on this link
Apart from the necessity of door to door canvassing the task before us is in our opinion primarily a spiritual battle so we launched our first Spiritual Crusade last year. This consisted of a 54 day fast which commenced on November 1st and finished on Christmas Eve with six nominated people fasting for 9 days each on a water only fast Others were invited to join in prayer and fasting for the protection of unborn life and the retention of the 8th Amendment.
Hundreds of people from all over Ireland North and South, the UK, Canada and the US joined with to pray for the protection of the unborn. We Completed our first Spiritual Crusade with a pro-life Mass in the Church of St Kevin Harrington Street Dublin on the Feast of the Holy Innocents.
We are now commencing our second Spiritual Crusade our lenten campaign beginning on Ash Wednesday and finishing at Easter.
We hope to finish this second Spiritual Crusade with Mass in St Kevins In Harrington Street  on the Feast of the Annunciation which will be celebrated this year on Monday April 9th.



Friday, December 15, 2017

Pro-Life Mass: Feast of the Holy Innocents

Pro-Life Mass
Feast of the Holy Innocents December 28th 

In view of the constant and unrelenting attack on the lives of unborn babies in Ireland and in response to the one sided proceedings of both the Citizens' Assembly and the recent vote of the Oireachtas Committee we are convinced that this is  primarily a spiritual battle and accordingly have arranged for the celebration of Holy Mass on the Feast of the Holy Innocents December 28th at 11.30am in St Kevin’s Church, Harrington Street, Dublin 8.

Mass will be  in Latin and will be offered for the defence of 8th Amendment and the protection of unborn life.
We believe that it would be hard to find a more appropriate day to offer our prayers and Holy Mass, for the protection of unborn life, than the Feast of the Holy Innocents   

This invitation is open to everyone who wishes to attend.
Tea, coffee and  seasonal refreshments will be available following the celebration of Mass.


 Tel. 087 2578250: e-mail:patrickgbuckley44@gmail.com