Rights of unborn are inalienable

Archbishop Barry J. Hickey

Contents - Apr 2001 - Buy a copy now Editorial: 'If Christ is not risen, then your faith is in vain' - Peter Westmore John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family to open in July 2001 - AD2000 Report News: The Church Around the World Former Townsville Bishop's admissions on liturgy practices - Bishop Raymond Benjamin Is Townsville the model for Ballarat's priest shortage? - Michael Gilchrist Archbishop Curtiss on implementing the theology 'mandatum' - Archbishop Elden Curtiss US parishioners more outspoken about church "renovations" - Zenit News Service Thomas More Centre Summer School 2001: "Building a Culture of Life" - Michael Daniel How to avoid banal, superficial liturgies - Bishop Kevin Manning Rights of unborn are inalienable - Archbishop Barry J. Hickey Tanzania's Father Winfried makes return visit to Australia - Martin Sheehan Letters: Melbourne RE texts (letter) - Barbara Chigwidden Letters: Sponsorship (letter) - Barry O'Brien Letters: Legal action (letter) - Chris Joseph Letters: Inaccuracy (letter) - Fr Michael Kalka PP Letters: Ambiguities (letter) - Valentine Gallagher Letters: ACU Syllabus (letter) - John Kelly Letters: Stations of the Cross (letter) - Charles Bignold Letters: Good responses (letter) - Hyacinth Morel Letters: Dress code (letter) - Raymond de Souza Review Article: A 'silly book' from ACU professor of theology - Frank Mobbs Books: Keeping The Faith: Making a Difference by Wilson D. Miscamble - Michael Daniel (reviewer) JESUS - Jubilee Edition Video - Johanna O'Farrell (reviewer) Books: 'Contraception: The Hidden Truth' by Christine de Stoop - Katie Forster (reviewer) Books: The Apostles' Creed, Defend the Faith and other apologetics topics - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Books: 'The Atonement Child' by Francine Rivers - Mary-Jane Donnellan (reviewer) Books: The Seven Cities of the Apocalypse, by Roland J. Worth - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Reflection: Giving witness to the Gospel of Life - Rebecca van Rensburg

The acceptance of abortion in our Australian society, the ease in which it is obtainable and the dulling of consciences, which makes it common, is for me a surprising and unexpected development, which indicates that something has gone profoundly wrong.

One would have thought that those very factors which have led to an acceptance of the rights of people with disabilities, that have produced medical miracles for premature babies and children with severe handicaps, would also lead to the valuing and protecting of babies in the womb.

No so! The reverse has happened. As more is known about the origins of human life, as more medical and scientific help is available, the less respect there is for the humanity and therefore the inalienable rights of unborn children.

It does not make sense. The forces that form public opinion on the matter of abortion must be very powerful indeed when they turn logic on its head and conclude that babies can be destroyed simply because they are still in the mothers' womb. Not even the law can see how illogical and tragic is the nature of this conclusion.

Any attempt to claim that the rights of children take precedence over the rights of women brings about a chorus of condemnation from militant feminists, as happened to the appeal by the Bishops of Australia to the High Court on access to invitro fertilisation technology.

If children's rights are to be considered in the matter of IVF, how much more are they to be considered in the matter of abortion, when the decision is about life and death.

Whenever legal or political challenges are made the basic question is spiritual. Unborn children will not be given proper protection until there is recognition that their lives are sacred simply because they exist. They are from God, destined to live now and forever.

We will only finally reverse the present disastrous trend when people experience a real inner conversion, see the tragic error of abortion and join in the promotion of a culture of life.

We should remember those whose lives have been sadly cut short by abortion, we pray for all mothers that they will treasure the new life within them. We pray for all fathers that they will accept their special role in guarding the little life that they have helped to create; for all counsellors that they will lead people to a proper understanding of what abortion really is, and for all doctors and medical staff that they will stop disgracing their professions and turn again to the protection and nourishing of infant human life.

Let us pray for ourselves that we will be true and compassionate witnesses to life, ready to help, wherever we can, those women who feel that they cannot cope. And let us pray for our society, which already accepts the principle of human rights, but cannot see the contradiction when denying those rights to unborn children.

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 14 No 3 (April 2001), p. 12