Lenten Spiritual Crusade: The light of Ireland’s pro-life laws must not be extinguished

14 February 2018

Voice of the Family is today launching a Lenten spiritual crusade in defence of the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of the Republic of Ireland. A national referendum on the repeal of this amendment, which guarantees the equal right-to-life of both mothers and babies, will take place later this year, probably in May.

The Eighth Amendment, which was approved by referendum in 1983, has long been targeted by the international abortion industry. For thirty years the amendment prevented the legalisation of abortion in Ireland. In 2013 the Irish government controversially forced through legislation which permitted abortion in cases where it was deemed necessary to the save the life of the mother, but legislators can’t liberalise the law further without amending the Constitution, which requires a referendum. A recent study indicates that the amendment has saved the lives of more than 100,000 unborn children since 1983. A similar study suggested that a further 100,000 lives have been saved by similarly restrictive laws in Northern Ireland, a constituent part of the United Kingdom in which the 1967 British Abortion Act does not apply.

Ireland is one of the few remaining countries in Europe to preserve such a high level of protection for unborn children. If the Irish people vote to repeal the Eighth Amendment then the way will be open for the Oireachtas (the Irish legislature) to pass liberal abortion laws. Ireland would then join the ranks of nations – such as the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Canada – which have very high abortion rates. Conservative estimates indicate that, since the Soviet Union first legalised abortion in 1920, there have been more than one billion abortions worldwide. This is more deaths than in all the wars in recorded human history. Ireland’s pro-life laws have been a light shining in the darkness of the modern west. We must not let that light go out.

The scourge of abortion is a consequence of modern man’s rebellion against God and his holy law. Ash Wednesday, and the whole season of Lent, is a time for man to humble himself and turn back to God. We invite you to join with us this Lent in making atonement for the offence offered to God by the sin of abortion. We are asking people to pray the Holy Rosary every day during Lent to obtain that Ireland may be protected from abortion and that the bishops of Ireland may be given the grace to preach the gospel without fear. Please join us in this spiritual battle, and pray also for the deliverance of your own country from abortion.

“Now therefore saith the Lord: Be converted to me with all your heart, in fasting, and in weeping, and in mourning. And rend your hearts, and not your garments, and turn to the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, patient and rich in mercy, and ready to repent of the evil. Who knoweth but he will return, and forgive, and leave a blessing behind him.” (Joel 2:12-14)

If you would like to distribute leaflets promoting the spiritual crusade please email spiritualcrusade[AT]voiceofthefamily.com.

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