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February 20, 2018 (SPUC) – The new bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora used his installation mass on Sunday, February 11 to deliver a strongly pro-life message ahead of the upcoming referendum on the Eighth Amendment.

Bishop Brendon Kelly, addressing a packed Galway Cathedral on World Day of the Sick, expressed concern that “human life from its tiniest origins” might be forgotten. He highlighted the plight of lives “in their weakness and innocence” which are under threat, and stressed the “immense dignity, respect and reverence that is due to every living person, regardless of ability, health, colour, size, nationality or otherwise.”

Gift of Life

After the Mass, Bishop Kelly told the Irish Independent that he planned on prioritizing the preaching of the Gospel of Life ahead of the upcoming vote.  He added that his stance on abortion had nothing to do with a mistrust of women. “Without all the women in my life, where would I be or any of us? I am so grateful to my mother for giving me life and so grateful she gave life to eight other children,” he said.

Abortion always evil

Several other Irish bishops have urged respect for human life since the referendum was announced. “The innate dignity of every human life, from conception to natural death, is a value for the whole of society, rooted in reason as well as in faith,” said Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh, the Primate of All Ireland, in a recent pastoral message.  “The Catholic Church, in common with other people of goodwill, teaches that ending the life of an unborn child, like the taking of any other innocent human life, is always evil and can never be justified.”

Reprinted with permission from the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children.