Dear Editor, Jean Vanier, founder of the L’Arche communities and a tireless advocate of the dignity of all people, especially the disabled, says in his book Our Life Together: “Each person, whatever his or her abilities, strengths or weaknesses, is important and sacred. They are a person loved by God and created for love. It is their person who is important. They are precious.”
Imagine a baby with a life-limiting disability in the womb hearing those beautiful words, “you are important, you are sacred, you are precious”. What a loving welcome for the disabled baby to life!
Now imagine the attitude of fear towards babies in the womb with a ‘fatal foetal abnormality’, hearing, “You are a disorder, we abort you!”
Many loving parents have brought into life with selfless love their disabled children, including those who became outstanding Paralympians who were such a joy to watch and an inspiration to all of us? We would do well to learn from those parents and their wonderful children what unconditional loving is all about.
Take the attitude of those who want to repeal the Eighth Amendment and remove the one protection the disabled babies in the womb have. These babies must be given the hope of getting a crack at life. Remove the Eighth and that hope becomes hopeless. Remove it? What is going to replace it?
Which of the two attitudes is the right and just way to go? To welcome these babies to life who deserve much love? Or to abort them? The United Nations says: “Abort them”. What does Ireland say?
Yours etc.,
Fr Michael O’Flynn, CSsR,
Athenry, Co. Galway.