The autumn 2012 General Meeting of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference held this week in Maynooth issued a press release in which they declare "Choose Life" as the 2012 day for life theme followed by a month of prayer. The statement also says that the Bishops will shortly issue a full statement dealing with the Children's Referendum.
Extract from Bishops Statement
The Irish Bishops discussed the sacredness of human life and announced that the annual Day for Life in Ireland this year, on Sunday 7 October, will mark the beginning of a special month of prayer dedicated to theme ‘Choose Life!’
Parishes and individuals will be invited to pray a special ‘Prayer for the Child in the Womb’ during Masses throughout the month of prayer which ends on the Feast of All the Saints of Ireland on 6 November next. The prayer asks us to open our hearts to welcome every child as a unique and wonderful gift, and to help those who make our laws to uphold the uniqueness and sacredness of every human life from the moment of conception to natural death.In addition to the prayer a special pastoral message entitled ‘Choose Life!’ will be promoted in all 1,360 parishes of Ireland, North and South. This message will highlight the equal right to life of a mother and the child in her womb, and the right of each to be treated as individual persons. This positive message will also affirm that the child in the womb is not a potential life, but a human life with potential.Bishops expressed concern about the widespread misinformation about the implications of the December 2010 judgement of the European Court of Human Rights A,B & C vs Ireland. The Irish Government is under no obligation to legislate for abortion because of the ruling of the European Court. On the contrary the Government is free to respond by seeking full protection in Irish law for the right to life of the baby in the womb. This could be done while ensuring that women in pregnancy continue to receive every treatment necessary to safeguard their lives.
