Schools Page
Pastoral
Letter on the Abortion Referendum.
My dear People,
As you know, the long awaited Abortion
Referendum will take place in a few days time on Wednesday next, 6th
March 2002.
I realise that many of you may be very confused about the Referendum and may be finding it difficult to decide which way to vote. There has been a great deal of public debate about the issue and various organisations and political parties have taken opposing views regarding the Referendum. Even though the Bishops of Ireland issued a detailed statement about the Government proposals before Christmas, some of you are still seeking guidance from the Church as to how you should vote. For these reasons, I would like to share some thoughts with you in this brief Pastoral Letter.
First of all, I would encourage you to read
carefully the Irish Bishops’ Statement on the Abortion Referendum. Almost one
million copies of the Statement have been printed in a leaflet entitled “An
Opportunity Not To Be Lost ”. This leaflet is available for everyone
in your local Church, and efforts have been made to have it distributed to every
household.
This is a unanimous Statement from the 35 Irish
Catholic Bishops. It was issued after full discussion among ourselves and with
the benefit of expert legal, medical and theological advice. I can also assure
you – and this I say with total conviction – that the Statement has been
fully endorsed by the Church authorities in Rome. As you all know of my own
personal relationship with the Supreme Pastor of the Church, Pope John Paul II,
you will appreciate I do not say this lightly.
In the Statement, we Bishops strongly welcome
and support the proposed Referendum as “a
significant anti-abortion measure” and as a major “ improvement on the current unsatisfactory (legal) situation”.
Furthermore, we make it clear that Catholic voters should feel free in
conscience to vote “Yes” in this
Referendum.
In other words, the Catholic Bishops of Ireland,
while respecting your personal freedom of conscience, are encouraging you to
vote “Yes” next Wednesday. I
myself do not presume to tell you how to vote, but it is my honest conviction
and genuine belief, taking all the complex issues into account, that it is best
to vote “Yes”.
I myself will be voting “Yes”.
I would strongly encourage you to do your very
best to get out to your local polling station next Wednesday and to cast your
vote. Whatever the result, it would be very wrong if this Referendum were to be
decided by a small percentage of the voting population. You may also be in a
position to help your neighbours to get to the polling station next Wednesday,
especially those who may be housebound otherwise.
Finally, I ask that these coming days be a time
of special prayer for God’s guidance. Jesus Christ came into the world that we
“may have life and have it to the
full”(John
Yours sincerely in Christ,
+ John Magee.
Bishop of Cloyne.