FFM Parishes: O'Donaghue on being Catholic, 13

Another of our extracts from 'Fit for Mission? - Parishes' by Bishop O'Donaghue of Lancaster. Click on the 'label' FFM Parishes to see others. See the 'Fit for Mission?' website and download the full document. The previous title in the series, 'Fit for Mission? - Schools' is downloadable here (pdf). This generated a Facebook support group.

From section 10.7.4, p73:
I am convinced another cause of the wide-spread violence lies in the Abortion Act of 1967. For 41 years we’ve lived in a state-sponsored culture of death that has killed 5 million children, and we’re now surprised that some of the surviving children have turned out violent with no regard for the sanctity of life?
How many children know that their mothers have had an abortion? What effect will it have on them knowing that they have been deprived of a brother or sister through abortion?
If a society holds human life so cheaply is it any surprise that young people will also hold life cheaply and engage in violence?
I encourage all our schools and parishes to continue to take steps to protect our young people from cultures of death, that seek to corrupt and exploit them.

From 10.7.5, p73
At every opportunity proclaim the right to Life – the most fundamental human right that underpins authentic work for justice and peace (cf. Mission Priority of the Final Proposals of the Fit for Mission? Parish review).
Pray, Protest and Petition the institutions that promote the culture of death – Parliament, the British Medical Association, the Royal College of Nurses, Brooke Advisory Centres, broadcasters, the tabloids and broadsheets.
I also ask all parishes to support Catholic organisations, such as Life groups, that provide counselling, advice, support and hospitality to women considering abortions.
Also consider actively supporting the following groups promoting the Gospel of Life: The Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child; Sisters of the Gospel of Life, Life and other pro-life organisations.
I ask all our parishes to support the work of Cenacolo as a way of challenging the culture of death spread by substance-abuse.
I also encourage our parishes to face the reality of suffering caused by alcohol abuse, through
promoting the work of their local Alcoholics Anonymous groups.