The Catholic communities of Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide will ideally join in prayer on Sunday 5th October to protest against the reform of the abortion law in the State of Victoria, which will be discussed on October 7th. If passed in the current draft, the law will permit a termination within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, will remove the doctors’ right to conscientious objection and would force a chemist or a nurse, on a doctor’s prescription, to deliver a drug to cause a termination even after 24 weeks of pregnancy. In this sense, it is significant that the Day of Prayer is held to coincide with the yearly Pro-Life Day, promoted by the archdiocese of Sydney. "We will specially pray for the population of the State of Victoria and for their Members of Parliament, so that they will be brave and wise in defending human life", stated the auxiliary bishop of Sydney, mgr. Julian Porteous, who thinks "this bill of law, if passed, will have repercussions on the whole nation". A few days ago, mgr. Denis Hart, archbishop of Melbourne, the capital of the State of Victoria, had circulated a pastoral letter against the law, going so far as to threaten to close down the 15 Catholic hospitals of Victoria should the law be passed.
