Pope praises the Church in England and Wales for the Day for Life

Pope Leo XIV sent Archbishop Sherrington of Liverpool a message via Cardinal Parolin, Secretary of State for the Holy See, praising the choice of theme for the Church in England and Wales’ annual Day for Life. 

“The Wonder of the Child in the Womb” was the theme for the annual event designed to raise awareness of the meaning and value of human life at every stage and condition. It occurred this year on Sunday 21 June.

Cardinal Parolin informed Archbishop Sherrington that Pope Leo “was pleased to learn of the theme chosen for this year, focused on the wonder of the full humanity of the child in the womb, as well as of your efforts to support mothers and fathers who have suffered the loss of an infant.”

The Pope also offered prayers for parents grieving the loss of a child “especially an infant, that they may find comfort and peace in the knowledge of God’s love for them and their child, ‘for to him all of them are alive’ (Luke 20:38)”, added Cardinal Parolin. The Pope expressed hopes that “these parents find the support they need in the Church community and especially in a life nourished by prayer and by the Sacraments.”

Meanwhile, last week, Baroness O’Loan introduced the Infant (Born Alive) Protection Bill in the House of Lords. This would require an infant born alive after an attempted termination of pregnancy to receive appropriate medical treatment and care.

The bill, which has received a first reading in the Lords, establishes that where an infant is born alive after an attempted termination of pregnancy, “any person present at the birth or shortly thereafter who is aware, or who ought reasonably to be aware, that signs of life are present must take reasonable steps to obtain emergency assistance.”

An infant is defined by the bill as being “born alive” if it has “issued completely from its mother’s body… and. shown signs of life.”  Such signs include breathing, crying, or sustained gasps; a heartbeat; a pulsing umbilical cord; [an infant] making definite movement of voluntary muscles. 

On 9 June, Lord Moylan introduced the Complications from Abortions (Annual Report) Bill in the House of Lords. The bill which received a first reading would require “the Secretary of State to publish an annual report on complications from abortions in England and for connected purposes.”

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