The Irish Catholic Bishops have come out with a major statement on the death of Savita Halappanavar.
The statement reads:
“The death of Mrs Savita Halappanavar and her unborn child in University Hospital Galway on the 28 October last was a devastating personal tragedy for her husband and family. It has stunned our country.
"We share the anguish and sorrow expressed by so many at the tragic loss of a mother and her baby in these circumstances and we express our sympathy to the family of Mrs Halappanavar and all those affected by these events.
"In light of the widespread discussion following the tragic death of Mrs Halappanavar and her unborn baby, we wish to reaffirm some aspects of Catholic moral teaching. These were set out in our recently published Day for Life message on 7 October last, available on www.chooselife2012.ie."
Read more news on Savita Halappanavar's case here
* The Catholic Church has never taught that the life of a child in the womb should be preferred to that of a mother. By virtue of their common humanity a mother and her unborn baby are both sacred with an equal right to life.
* Where a seriously ill pregnant woman needs medical treatment which may put the life of her baby at risk, such treatments are ethically permissible provided every effort has been made to save the life of both the mother and her baby.
* Whereas abortion is the direct and intentional destruction of an unborn baby and is gravely immoral in all circumstances, this is different from medical treatments which do not directly and intentionally seek to end the life of the unborn baby. Current law and medical guidelines in Ireland allow nurses and doctors in Irish hospitals to apply this vital distinction in practice while upholding the equal right to life of both a mother and her unborn baby.
* Some would claim that the unborn baby is less human or less deserving of life. Advances in genetics and technology make it clear that at fertilisation a new, unique and genetically complete human being comes into existence. From that moment onwards each of us did not grow and develop into a human being, but grew and developed as a human being.
With many other religious and ethical traditions we believe in upholding the equal and inalienable right to life of a mother and her unborn child in our laws and medical practice.
Read more news on Savita Halappanavar's case here
This helps to ensure that women and babies receive the highest standard of care and protection during pregnancy. Indeed, international statistics confirm that Ireland, without abortion, remains one of the safest countries in the world in which to be pregnant and to give birth.
This is a position that should continue to be cherished and strengthened in the interests of mothers and unborn children in Ireland.”
6 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.eiriamach | Nov 22, 2012, 07:14 AM EST
The bishops also mince words about fertilization: "Advances in genetics ... make it clear that at fertilisation a new, unique and genetically complete human being comes into existence." IF they read any ordinary account of the biology of reproduction, they will learn that an estimated half to 70 percent of all fertilized human eggs never implant in a woman's uterus but wash away without her knowing. In other words, they never have any possibility of developing into complete human beings. Thus it makes little sense to think of a single-cell fertilized egg or zygote, the union of sperm and ovum, as having a human soul demanding "the highest standard of care and protection." "Genetically complete"? No, the zygote's genes have not yet done any work, not yet produced any organism even remotely resembling a human being, and if implantation doesn't occur, they never will produce any organism. The bishops' magical thinking-- that at fertilization some kind of miniature human being is already present-- belongs to the realm of fantasy or wishful thinking, and not to medical science, and it ought not to replace science.
eiriamach | Nov 22, 2012, 06:56 AM EST
With carefully chosen words, the bishops have implicated themselves in the death of this unfortunate woman. They say, "we believe in upholding the equal and inalienable right to life of a mother and her unborn child in our laws and medical practice." The bishops know that as long as the woman's right to life does not take precedence over the fetus' right to continue gestating in her uterus, there can be no abortion. An *equal* right to life is not enough when the woman's survival depends-- as it most likely did in Savita's case-- on quick termination of the pregnancy. This is the kind of thinking that allowed Savita to die rather than saving her, and some have said it killed her, along with the fetus that had no hope of survival.
Portia777 | Nov 21, 2012, 09:41 AM EST
Irish Catholic bishops deny they value life of baby over that of mother....deny all they want, we grew up with this teaching.In fact my Dad made sure we were all born in a Protestant hospital for that very reason. Of course the real reason is the money and soul of the child. Roman church has already cashed in on the mother- through her birth cert, so a new birth cert for the child, born through her waters means lots of money and a bond/birth cert to trade daily for profit.Always follow the money. BAR Gold, etc
irishamerica46 | Nov 20, 2012, 03:43 PM EST
Did either of you ever take a Cathoic Medical Ethics class? I have and even though you're 65, you are incorrect. BTW I'm 66.
pilib04 | Nov 20, 2012, 12:11 PM EST
My, what short memories these old men have. I'm 65 and I was taught that the fetus came first! Please don't insult the intelligence of the Catholic faithful with your lies (although you are being very consistent).
Proud Canadian2 | Nov 20, 2012, 12:07 PM EST
Do these bishops wake up every morning and take BS pills. If they have concern for the mother then why are they against abortion? Hypocrits.