Fr Agnellus and Brother Leonard of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, Stoke community, joined local Welsh Pro Lifers outside the BPAS death camp in St Mary's Street, Cardiff recently.
What a difference it makes to have a religious attend a vigil. The habit or clerical dress immediately gives a sense of taking the prayers offered up several notches.
Of course, they immediately become the point of the jeers and jibes of the pro death rent a mob but that is what they are used to; that is what they do, share in Christ's passion and pray for those who cannot see or hear.
H/T to RT for the picture.
How chilling to learn that even the Franciscan Friars do not care about the emotional or physical wellbeing of women who may be pregnant from rape, incest or abuse - oh, hang on, perhaps they have diving powers and can see into the past lives of those entering the 'death camp'. Yes that must be it, silly me.
ReplyDeleteNicola, but that is precisely the point. They do care about women who have been abused but they also care for the unborn child. You may not believe that prayer is effective but it is and so is the practical support on offer. Many women who undergo an abortion suffer from severe psychosis problems afterwards; the 40 Days organisation (whom the Friars support) provides aid not just for women planning an abortion but also for the workers in the abortuaries and for the fathers who are usually left out of the equation by those who advocate killing an infant in its mother's womb.
ReplyDeleteOf course women suffer afterwards - it is never a decision taken lightly or an easy option. Offering professional counselling I applaud - lobbying government to change the law if you believe it to be wrong I applaud - but calling the providers of legal, professional medical advice a 'death camp' I abhor. Causing distress to vulnerable women I abhor. End of.
ReplyDeleteNicola,
ReplyDeleteIf my sister had been conceived in this generation I would not have had a sister; she was conceived out of wedlock in the days of orphanages, the girl would have found herself on the Abortion Conveyer belt and a life/sister/not to mention a daughter for mum and dad/ lost. It is serious to terminate what has already begun and is human? There is no excuse in this day of baby shortage and having to resort to IVF.
If 600 criminals were taken every day to buildings and killed (without aesthetics I should add) these places would be called "Death Camps" and rightly so.
The result of this killing by medical professionals is now showing it's ugly face. Dead hearts towards those they deem unfit to be alive all relative to the person/s on duty at time of patient present in the ward.
It was wonderful to pray with these friars and, as you say, their habit is a brilliant witness. It would be such a blessing to have more clergy and religious at our vigil, so we must pray for that and encourage them at every opportunity. Thank you for mentioning this on your blog!
ReplyDeleteAccording to WHO abortion numbers have declined because of contraception use - this includes condoms. Now what do you prefer - contraception use or women having abortions at 12 - 24 weeks?
ReplyDeleteThank you Nicola for your comments - these (mainly) men that make judgement on these women that go to death camps have not been gang raped, raped by their fathers or grandfathers. Abortion will not go away - educate, educate, educate and yes you may have to bend your rules and think about contraception.
Harriet.
I don't think it's right to say women suffer after abortion - many don't. Many make an informed decision and know that they are ending a potential life but are absolutely fine with that. Many go on to have children, many already have children. We knw what we are doing and we don't need elope praying for us.
ReplyDeleteHarriet, BPAS tweeted on 17/10/12 to say over half of their clients are contracepting when they conceive. Therefore I don't see how catholics promoting contraception would help reduce abortion numbers. Other abortion providers say the same if you look into the matter. Nicola says these women may be suffering incest, rape and abuse. In the case of incest and abuse abortion frequently covers up the abuse. But why assume these women will want abortions? Often they are pushed into having them to avoid bringing shame on other people - at least half the rape victims I have counselled wanted to keep the baby but were told by other people that they would not believe it was rape if the woman did not abort. There is a lot of good info online about women pregnant as a result of rape and abuse see http://www.theunchoice.com/victimsandvictors.htm. Abortion is not a great only choice solution for them. Those praying at Cardiff's BPAS can offer them other alternatives too. As one woman on the site I linked to said "I, having lived through rape, and also having raised a child 'conceived in rape,' feel personally assaulted and insulted every time I hear that abortion should be legal because of rape or incest. I feel that we're being used to further the abortion issue, even though we've not been asked to tell our side of the story."
ReplyDeleteGood Counsel - I am not suggesting that every women who gets raped has an abortion - but she should have the right to do so if she wishes to - it may be more traumatic for her to keep it - what about the woman's rights?
ReplyDeleteAlso I do not know one women that has fallen pregnant using contraception correctly - I know it happens but please admit that if you are using contraception you are less likely to fall pregnant and need an abortion - does this not make sense to you?
Making abortion illegal will mean that there will be lots of backyard abortions will mean more suffering for mother and child.
Harriet.
ReplyDeleteHarriet - adoption is the solution, not abortion. How can anyone justify killing an infant in its mother's womb? Also, abortion is the new form of contraception as the research figures show. So you cannot possibly argue that contraception for all would bring an end to abortion. The backyard abortion argument is a tired old nag and I'm surprised that you are still using it.
ReplyDeleteDonna Bean - I never stated that all women suffer after abortion, only a sizeable percentage. If you don't believe in prayer, what harm can come of people praying for you and others in the abortion industry?
There is no "right" to kill an innocent baby by burning or butchering, etc. the baby is not guilty of any sin and certainly not responsible for how he or she was conceived. We have a duty to protect the innocent and defenceless, more so mothers and fathers, their children. Where there is contraception, there is abortion. People would never dream of killing had they not accepted contraception first. As the use of contraception has increased, so have abortions - manual and chemical. Of course the proportion of chemical abortions is increasing all the time. And this witnessing outside the killing chambers or referral offices save countless babies, and their mothers, fathers, etc. the mothers are always so happy and relieved when they meet with those witnesses later with their babies. Thank you Lord for their courageous witness against such injustice and brutality.
ReplyDeleteThe idea that most women entering for abortions have been raped, abused and so on is a great misconception. The evidence also shows most women do not have abortions for medical reasons or because the baby is unhealthy. Most women who have abortions aren't in this situation. The stats, if anything, show that a sizeable proportion of women simply see a baby as a mistake or inconvenience. The stats also show a large proportion have more than one or two abortions in their lifetime. It doesn't weigh heavy on many to make this decision in the slightest. If anything theya re encouraged to see themselves as more important and the baby as a mere bundle of cells that aren't really a 'person'.
ReplyDelete