Irish Catholic Bishop John Buckley urged voters to consider that some animals will have more protections than unborn children in Ireland if voters repeal the Eighth Amendment this week.
Crux Now reports Buckley, who serves the diocese of Cork and Ross, appealed to Catholics on May 19 ahead of a critical vote on abortion.
Today, Irish voters are going to the polls to decide whether to repeal the Eighth Amendment, which protects unborn babies’ right to life. Abortion activists, backed by some of the world’s richest men, have been pushing the pro-life country to legalize abortion on demand.
If the amendment is repealed, government leaders plan to push a proposal to legalize abortion for any reason up to 12 weeks of pregnancy and up to six months in a wide range of circumstances.
“It is remarkable that the State, which, under the Wildlife Act, has so many legal protections for non-human life, is trying to remove the most basic right of the child in the womb,” Buckley said.
“The right to life in the Constitution will be replaced by the right to end the life of an innocent person. The unborn baby will be left with no protection whatsoever,” he continued.
With ultrasounds and many other modern technological advances, Buckley said it’s difficult for anyone to deny that an unborn baby is a living, unique human being.
“Our own Irish language has a beautiful word for the unborn – beo gan breith – which means alive but not born,” he said.
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He also urged pro-lifers to reach out to pregnant women in difficult circumstances, saying abortion never should be a compassionate answer to their struggles.
“Compassion is not one-sided,” Buckley said. “Compassion for the mother is vital but we must also extend our compassion to the child in the womb. There is no semblance of compassion involved in ending the life of the innocent child. Compassion means that we look after the mother and the child.”
Currently, Irish laws protect pregnant mothers and their unborn babies equally. And Ireland is one of the safest places in the world for pregnant mothers and their babies, with one of the lowest maternal mortality rates anywhere.
Pro-lifers estimate that the Eighth Amendment has saved approximately 100,000 unborn babies’ lives from abortion.
Irish doctors have been some of the most outspoken advocates against abortion, saying the repeal of the Eighth Amendment would do nothing whatsoever to help Irish women. People with disabilities and their families also are expressing fears that legalized abortion could lead to wide-spread, deadly discrimination against unborn babies with disabilities.
Pro-life advocates have been working hard against a biased media, politicians, celebrities and huge, illegal donations from rich American businessmen who are intent on pushing Ireland to adopt abortion on demand. Pro-life volunteers have been knocking on doors across Ireland to save the Eighth Amendment and thousands of unborn babies’ lives.
Polls indicate the election could be very close. Results are expected to be announced Saturday.
