Belfast, Northern Ireland, Mar 13, 2019 / 05:02 pm (CNA).- Efforts to protect the unborn from legal abortion in Northern Ireland continue despite efforts to bypass self-governance and go directly through the U.K. Parliament—efforts backed by a U.N. committee and pro-abortion rights politicians and groups.
Last month pro-life advocates marched on the U.K. Parliament in Westminster opposing any imposition of legal abortion on Northern Ireland. Ten women marchers each held a box symbolizing 10,000 people they say have been born because of laws that protect the unborn from abortion.
“100,000 people in Northern Ireland are alive today because Northern Ireland did not accept the same abortion law that was introduced into Britain in 1967,” Dawn McEvoy, co-founder of the Belfast-based group Both Lives Matter, said Feb. 26. “These people are our mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, daughters and sons. Abortion pressure groups have no mandate from us the people of Northern Ireland to impose abortion on Northern Ireland from Westminster. We urge the British Government to respect the people of Northern Ireland and our elected representatives.”
On March 9, several hundred pro-abortion rights protesters paraded to Belfast’s City Hall, calling for legal abortion in Northern Ireland. Some marchers accused British Prime Minister Theresa May of violating women’s rights. The demonstration aimed to mark International Women’s Day observed the previous day, the Belfast Telegraph reports.
Abortion is legally permitted in Northern Ireland only if the mother’s life is at risk or if there is risk of permanent, serious damage to her mental or physical health. Bills to legalize abortion in cases of fatal fetal abnormality, rape, or incest failed in the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2016.
Elective abortion is legal in the rest of the U.K. up to 24 weeks.
May has said abortion should remain a devolved issue for Northern Ireland, which has self-governing powers.
However, the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont is currently suspended due to disagreements between the two major governing parties: the anti-abortion Democratic Unionist Party, which has traditionally drawn support from Protestants, and Sinn Fein, which has traditionally drawn support from Catholics but has taken a strong turn towards permissive abortion laws in recent years.
The DUP is a member of May’s coalition government in Westminster at a critical time in British politics, amid much controversy over the U.K.’s exit from the European Union.
Amnesty International is backing changes to Northern Ireland abortion law.
Grainne Teggart, Amnesty’s campaigns manager in Northern Ireland, called on the U.K. government to introduce “abortion reform” legislation in Westminster without delay. In a March 11 statement, she said devolution “does not relieve the U.K. government of their responsibility to uphold human rights in Northern Ireland.”
The group welcomed the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women report published March 11.
The U.N. committee charged there were “grave and systematic violations of women’s rights” in the region and criticized the failure of the U.K. to “ensure women’s access to abortion services,” including decriminalization of abortion, on the grounds that it is a matter for Northern Ireland authorities. The committee cited the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which requires the Westminster Parliament to legislate as necessary to ensure that the U.K.’s international obligations are met with respect to Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland’s abortion law has been under increased pressure in recent years. Since abortion became legal after strong voter support in the Republic, abortion advocates have said “the North is next,” while pro-life advocates have said “The North Protects.”
Labour Party MP Stella Creasy had intended to propose an amendment to a draft domestic abuse bill to change abortion laws in Ireland, but the ruling Conservative government restricted the bill to England and Wales.
Creasy has joined MPs from multiple parties and more than 70 groups calling on the government to remove the restriction, the Belfast Telegraph reports.
“The Government has restricted the extent of this bill to try and avoid upsetting the DUP,” she said.
A DUP spokesperson said any attempt to change the law without approval of the Assembly would breach the devolution settlement allowing self-government in Northern Ireland.
“The government should respect the right of the Assembly to legislate on abortion,” said the spokesperson.
Fiona Bruce, a Conservative MP representing Congleton in Cheshire, England, joined Both Lives Matter in urging the government to reject any effort to expand legal abortion.
“Abortion pressure groups are trying to undermine devolution and impose change to abortion law for Northern Ireland,” she said Feb. 26. “This is bad for devolution everywhere and contrary to Government policy.”
“These extreme proposals are out of touch with the will of the Northern Irish people, and in particular women,” she said. “It is clear that a strong majority of Northern Irish women reject interference from Westminster and believe that this is a decision for Northern Ireland.”
Both Lives Matter cited the polling group ComRes’ online poll in October 2018 of 1,013 Northern Ireland adults. It found 64 percent said abortion law should be decided by the people of Northern Ireland and their representatives, not MPs from other parts of the U.K.
A Belfast woman plans to bring forward a personal challenge to Northern Ireland’s abortion law to court this week.
In June 2018 the U.K. Supreme Court threw out a previous challenge to Northern Ireland’s abortion law, saying the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, which brought the case, did not have standing to do so. However, a majority of the judges said that the Northern Ireland abortion law framework is incompatible with human rights laws insofar as it bars abortion in cases of pregnancy by rape or incest or in cases of fetal abnormality. The U.K. government has so far not legislated any change.
Northern Irish women have been able to procure free National Health Service abortions in England, Scotland, and Wales since November 2017.
Some members of the House of Lords are attempting to require that same-sex marriage be legally recognized in Northern Ireland, the Belfast Telegraph reported March 1.
“In the absence of devolved government in Northern Ireland, there are members on all sides and in both Houses of Parliament who want to get this matter resolved,” said Conservative peer Lord Hayward, who with Labour peer Lord Collins of Highbury is backing such an amendment to the Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths Bill.
“Westminster has already passed Northern Ireland legislation in the absence of Stormont, so we know that we can and should address the issue of marriage equality,” Lord Hayward said.
The amendment would allow the Assembly six months to overturn the provision after the bill becomes law.
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If they meet there will be no excommunication.
We draw conclusions from consistency. Consistency here a marked affinity between the most radically pro abortion, pro LGBT president, a rosary clutching moon eyed supposed Catholic, and a Pontiff who putatively is opposed to his agenda. Or is he? Not once did Pope Francis laud anything former president Trump accomplished in protecting religious rights, curtailing abortion, limitations on LGBT ‘rights’, more obtrusions than rights. Only sharp criticism of his border security policy, the wall, accusations by the Pontiff at least by implication of divisiveness, racial prejudice. Whereas Biden appears shiningly Catholic to Francis – if we gauge that by his lack of any criticism whatsoever of the president. Andrea Gagliarducci interjects, “Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago and other bishops recently sought to delay the discussion on Eucharistic coherence” likely for purpose of indicating a consistency, perhaps rapport between ‘two peas in a pod’, both in favor of delay, certainly the warning against criticism of the president, and the quintessential chicanery of insisting that primacy on any discussion remains with Ratzinger’s 2002 note on the canonical prudential judgment of the local ordinary. As if in the oddly formed consciences of Cardinals Ladaria, Cupich, and by implication Pope Francis, that whatever may be the case a local ordinary has a canonical privilege to declare an intrinsic evil a political virtue. Gagliarducci underscores USCCB president Archbishop Jose Gomez’ insistence the discussions will proceed.
Perhaps Biden appears “shiningly Catholic” to the Pope, but not to us.
And even in his jejune posturing, Biden believes a rosary is primarily a weapon for violently choking human beings. He is missing more than a few neurons; he seems to be without conscience. And he accuses Putin of having no soul.
I fear this might be another
-can’t wait to shake your hand, buddy,
-see my big grin for you,
-verbally, let’s pat each other
-and ourselves on the back
-as you were, carry on ol boy accompaniment.
Rosemarie, suffice it to say Judas would be envious.
I wonder if they are going practice “social distancing” by kissing each other’s rings from exactly 3 feet away? I have pretty much given up on both those who supposedly run our government and the Church hierarchy. But who cares, my parish is still the faithful and our community is vibrant despite this whole pandemic panic attack. Praise the Lord.
600,000 is no “panic attack.”
We are required to treat others with Mercy, if we want the Divine Mercy for ourselves.
“For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, have Mercy on us and all the whole world.”
The obvious purpose of this visit and, especially its timing, is to thwart a segment of the American bishops who seem unusually committed to a certain course for their June meeting. It would be so awkward for them to take any action or even make a strong statement against Biden just days after he has what, no doubt, will be a very convivial audience with Papa Bergoglio (if there were any chance that it wouldn’t be, the White House would never allow it to happen). If this isn’t enough to deter these bishops, Francis and Parolin will simply order them to shut up. They should make them do it.
For Pope Francis, that he will evangelize the Biden sect with the papal prayer intention for June: “The Beauty of Marriage—Let us pray for young people who are preparing for marriage with the support of a Christian community: may they grow in love, with generosity, faithfulness and patience;”
For President Biden, that he will seize the moment and choreograph the meeting to take place on the steps of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral where he, like Theodosius kneeling before St. Ambrose, can either defend or appeal for mercy for the deaths of 66 million from A.D.1973 to 2021 (rather than Theodosius’ mere 7,000 in A.D. 390); and
For the Catholic flock, that a photo-op can be allowed to the emerging real leadership in the USCCB, rather than, say, the likes of wonderboy and pseudo-priest James Martin and his cardinalate retinue;
Let us pray to the Lord…Lord hear our prayer.
No one ought to be shocked that close allies should want to confer in person to further their common political agenda. It should be plain to everyone by now that almost all of what has been said about this Pope by his most severe opponents is basically true. But, I am sure there will be more tortured attempts to explain it all away. Time to cue up another piece “proving” how committed Francis is the pro-life cause.
“…close allies…want to confer in person…” Taking into account that this meeting might happen IS a major “take notice” event. When the pawns have finally had enough–full to the eyeballs with the goings-on and the upper crust feels the shaking below——well, it’s time to bring out the big guns.
Jesus said, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”” Mark 2:17. We can hope that Francis will help Chairman Joe to meet the demands of the “devout” Catholicism he professes.
And what do you think the chances are that Francis will seriously confront Biden on anything? After over eight years of this pontificate, isn’t it rather easy to predict what will and won’t happen?
The so-called ‘catholics’ who see no problem with taxpayer-financed abortions, or ‘catholic’ politicians who support it – and the like – are becoming increasingly desperate because they know that the tide against it is rising.
Both Francis and joe all ready have something on common besides their hatred of trump !! They are both in China’s payroll !