SW News: Primate of All Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh has criticized Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris' orders to hasten the commissioning and funding of "abortion services" instead of paying attention to the looming cost of living and health crisis. The top prelate urged the faithful to openly defend the rights of the unborn.

As Christmas draws near, there still seems to be little being done to ensure that Westminster is providing urgent support for those who are most at risk, said the primate in a statement. Invoking Westminster's authority and weakening the principle of decentralization, recent Secretaries of State have moved swiftly to hasten the establishment of some of the most extreme and liberal abortion services on these islands, he added.

Even before they are born, Westminster is determined to undermine the right to life of unborn children, particularly by imposing an obscene and unjustified prejudice towards individuals with disabilities. This is contrary to the evident wishes of the majority of people present, said the archbishop.

According to the Westminster abortion laws, an unborn child has no claim to love, care, or protection from society until the child is desired, he said. The primate added that a crucial characteristic of any community that values humanity and compassion is its capacity to resolve tough problems in a way that preserves rather than ends a human life.

He prelate reminded everyone that Jesus' followers and the countless others who believe in the equality of every mother and unborn child's right to life believe that, as a human family, they are capable of loving and caring for one another, especially for mothers going through a pregnancy crisis, in a way that does not involve killing and destroying defenseless unborn babies.

He concluded by making one final plea to all people of goodwill to openly defend the rights of all unborn children to equal treatment and the respect and upholding of their rights as well as the rights of their mothers to love, care, and protection from our society.