WARNING A POST WHICH MAY OFFEND


It seems that Cardinal Cormack Murphy O'Connor has decided to emulate Church leaders in the US by getting involved in poitics. He has stated that the Labour Party is no longer the natural party for Catholics (Did the Duke of Norfolk ever think it was). He has also said

"The policy supported by Mr Howard is one that we would also commend, on the way to a full abandonment of abortion," said the cardinal

.

This worries me. He is interfering in the right of Catholics in the United Kingdom to make their own choices about who they vote for. Whilst abortion may be regarded by Catholics and Evangelicals as abhorrent, it is the right of every Catholic every evangelical every pregnant woman to take or leave alone the option of a termination of pregnancy. I am sure that many women out there feel as I do, that they do not like the idea of abortion. The idea killing of an unborn child is not an easy one to come to terms with, but the fact that Termination of Pregnancy is legal does not mean that anyone has to take that option.

We are very much aware that teenagers are more sexually active at earlier ages, yet people are horrified that sexually active teenagers are given contraceptive advice let alone contaceptives. We cannot like the good Cardinal preach that contraception is wrong, and then preach that termination is wrong and bemoan the decline of the two parent family.

We can have whatever view we want, but would we really want to go back to the time of Vera Drake wiht terminations being carried out in unhygenic surroundings wiht both the abortionist and the woman likely to be jailed, if the woman did not die or need a hysterectomy because of incomplete abortion or an infection.

We may have gone too far, the upper limit may be too high, but Cardinal O'Connor sees Mr Howard and what he seems to stand for as a way back not a way forward.

I would hope that no woman I know, no friend of mine would ever have to make that decision, the heartache involved must haunt you forever, but I firmly believe, that whatever my personal feelings, that choice is theirs to make, preferably in conjunction with the donor of the other set of genes.

In fact to misquote Voltaire

I disapprove of what you do, but I will defend to the death your right to do it

In fact do you know I'd even defend your right to vote for Michael Howard

abortion
contraception
religion
Catholicism
politics