“Blessed is the fruit of your womb”: that’s the slogan of the day for life held in Ireland on 7 October. In their message the Irish bishops declared that the material enrichment of Irish society has been accompanied by a moral decline. “We fear in our culture a crisis of the system of values that places human life in first place”, wrote the Bishops, citing their pastoral letter “Human Life is Sacred”, published in 1975. It was just thirty years ago, following publication of the letter, that the Irish Bishops’ Conference established “Cura cares”, an organization that helps women who find themselves having to come to terms with an unwanted pregnancy. The desire to conceal an undesired pregnancy is still strong in Irish society, according to the Catholic weekly “The Universe” and that’s why it’s important that “Cura cares” should guarantee an environment in which mothers-to-be can freely speak of their difficulties without feeling themselves judged or condemned. One of the most important services offered by “Cura cares” is that of sessions of psychological therapy for those who have suffered an abortion; the therapy is requested not only by women but also by men. The Bishops’ Conferences of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland have set up a shared website (www.dayforlife.org) that publishes news reports and projects for the day for life. The day celebrated by the Irish Catholic Church concludes this year’s cycle of pro-life events during which the Church of England and Wales also reflected on the legalization of abortion forty years ago, while the Scottish bishops reflected on “Pro-Life” initiative introduced by Cardinal Winning ten years ago.
