THE Catholic Church has begun a 10-week campaign to
deliver "targeted messages" to parishioners over the Government's
controversial abortion legislation.The latest move against the new bill will see a weekly newsletter detailing the church's teaching on life sent to parishes for the priest to disperse the core messages from the pulpit.
A spokesman for the Catholic Church said over the next 10 weeks the newsletters would contain "targeted messages on the Catholic Church's teaching on life".
"The 10 editions will be sent out, one a week, as an information bulletin to assist priest and Catholic Church-goers on the church's position," said a spokesman, adding it had set up a website www.chooselife2013.ie to include personal testimony.
"It will challenge some of the myths expressed in relation to the legislation and clarify the church's teaching on fundamental aspects of life."
Cardinal Sean Brady has indicated the church may launch a legal challenge against the bill.
LETTER
This comes as a large number of pro-life doctors have put their names to a letter warning there was "grave concern among doctors" about the proposed legislation for termination of pregnancy in the case of a mother threatening suicide.
Dr Sean O Domhnaill, an HSE psychiatrist and director of the Life Institute, sent a letter to the Irish Independent signed by more than 50 GPs, obstetricians and surgeons.
"We don't want to be abortionists. We don't want to be called in to sign off on what will essentially be death warrants for children who would otherwise be born perfectly healthy," said Dr O Domhnaill, who last week addressed the Oireachtas Health committee.
Dr O Domhnaill, who launched a 'Doctors for Life' group, argued the legislation was "frightening" from a doctor's perspective and should be scrapped.
At
a glance with a "cold legal eye", he argued there was no time limit on
the stage the abortion could be performed at, making it "one of the most
liberal pieces of legislation" in relation to abortion in western
Europe.