By Father Shenan J. Boquet
“God’s mercy calls us to protect every life, especially those society overlooks — the child yet to be born and the elderly nearing their journey’s end — because each bears Christ’s face… No one is exempted from striving to ensure respect for the dignity of every person.” ― Pope Leo XIV
A little over two weeks ago, the UK Parliament voted, 379 to 137, to decriminalize abortion up to the point of birth in England and Wales. This consequential vote occurred after less than an hour of debate.
Under the previous law, abortion was permitted without restrictions up to 24 weeks. Now, however, a woman can end the life of her child up to the very point of birth, without risking any legal consequences.
Although the parliamentary vote strongly favored the amendment, sentiment within the UK is far from uniformly in support. A recent Ispos Reid poll, for instance, found that only 34% of UK citizens support abortion in “all” cases, which is what the amendment would allow.
Among those opposing the amendment were 1,000 healthcare workers, who signed an open letter urging members of parliament to vote against the proposed amendment.
The health workers pointed out that under the amendment women could abort their preborn children for any reason whatsoever, including for sex-selection. And while the law maintains penalties for those who might assist a woman in aborting her child late-term, the medical professionals point out that this simply drives women towards dangerous late-term, self-administered abortions.
Forfeiting a Civilized Culture to Death
Several MPs who voted against the law, expressed their opposition in the strongest possible language.
One MP who describes himself as “pro-choice” opposed the amendment. “I voted no,” explained MP Ben Obese-Jecty. “I am pro-choice, but can scarcely believe that after just 46 rushed minutes of backbench debate in which only 13 MPs gave speeches, Parliament voted to decriminalize abortions of healthy babies up to full-term.”
Lord David Alton did not mince words. “The day U.K. Parliament voted to make it lawful to kill a baby for any reason, including for sex-selection, at any point up to and during birth, was the day Britain forfeited its claim to be civilized,” he wrote.
Lord Daniel Moylan was similarly blunt. “Killing babies is not a ‘healthcare choice,’” he stated. “Ghastly.”
Allison Pearson, a columnist who has written for many of the biggest papers in the UK, pointed out that the UK already had one of the most permissive pro-abortion laws in Europe, permitting abortion without question up to 24 weeks. She wrote: “24 weeks is ‘horrible for all concerned,’ a doctor told me. Horrible for mum, baby, and medical staff. Now, it’s up to birth. Murdering babies. Where is our moral compass?”
Catholic MPs Betray Church Teaching on Sanctity of Life
That such an amendment could pass, by such an overwhelming majority, is staggering given the time we live in.
In the 21st century, practically everybody knows what a preborn child looks like. In developed nations, almost every woman who is expecting a child will at some point undergo an ultrasound to check on the health of the child. Many couples have photos on their fridge of their preborn child from as early as 10 weeks, when the fetus already has recognizable features.
It is likely that most of the MPs voting on the legislation have themselves seen ultrasound photos of their own children. None of them could possibly be ignorant of the fact that children at that age routinely survive after being born. To decriminalize the brutal murder of such children is the height of barbarity.
And yet, tragically, among those who voted in favor of this barbaric amendment were 13 Catholic members of Parliament. If anyone should have a well-calibrated moral compass, surely it should be these MPs!
After all the Catechism of the Catholic Church could not be any clearer on this issue. “Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion,” states the Catechism in paragraph 2271. “This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law.”
Faithful Catholics Defend life
In response to this scandal, at least two priests in the UK spoke very publicly. One of the priests, Fr. Ian Vane, contacted one of the Catholic MPs, who is his parishioner, explaining that he would refuse him Communion if he voted in favor of the anti-life pieces of legislation. The MP then went to the media to complain, calling the priest’s decisions a “public witch hunt.”
The second priest, Fr. Julian Large of the Brompton Oratory, spoke out in favor of Fr. Vane’s decision. As summarized by The Tablet, Fr. Large told his congregation that “he did not recognize any of the names of the Catholic MPs who voted in favor of either of the bills and therefore would not be in any position to refuse them Communion. However, out of fraternal charity, he urged any that were present at Mass to repent of their sins and receive absolution in the sacrament of Penance before receiving Communion.”
In the past, Cardinal Raymond Burke has repeatedly explained that in cases of grave, obstinate public sin, it can be permissible, and even required, for a minister to deny someone the Eucharist. His Eminence, who is a canon lawyer, and previously served as the Prefect for The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, which is the highest judicial authority in the Catholic Church, bases this view upon Canon 915.
This section of the Code of Canon Law states: “Those who have been excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others obstinately persevering in grave sin are not to be admitted to holy communion.” According to Cardinal Burke, a Catholic politician who deliberately votes for gravely immoral legislation, especially when it includes an attack upon the dignity of human life, is clearly in a state of obstinate public sin.
As Cardinal Burke explains, “The denial of Holy Communion is not an ecclesiastical penalty but the recognition of the objectively unworthy state of a person to approach to receive Holy Communion.”
Shepherds in a Time of Crisis
In a statement after the vote, a representative for the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales stated that the bishops are “deeply alarmed” at the vote.
“Our alarm arises from our compassion for both mothers and unborn babies,” stated Archbishop John Sherrington, Lead Bishop for Life Issues for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. “This decision significantly reduces the protection of unborn lives and will result in grave harm for pregnant women.”
The archbishop expressed his fears that pregnant women “will be even more vulnerable to manipulation, coerced and forced abortions” and that the amendment will make dangerous, at-home, late-term abortions more common.
“However, we cannot lose hope,” he continued. “The Church keeps working tirelessly to protect the dignity of every life. We will not abandon pregnant women and their unborn children in their most vulnerable moment.”
by Josef Kastner 1906 – 1911 in Carmelites church in Dobling.
The bishop concluded by thanking those people who are finding ways to assist pregnant women in difficult circumstances. “Let us continue to pray and commend the lives of these women, children, their families, and all who support them to the maternal intercession of Our Lady, Mother of God,” he said.
One of the most interesting remarks that came after the vote was by Harvard Professor Adrian Vermeule.
“For years, I’ve heard British people say, with a tinge of pride, ‘Well here we don’t have culture wars over abortion, unlike in the United States,’” he wrote. “Maybe you should have had them.”
Revert to a Barbaric Culture
Indeed, thank goodness the culture war in the U.S. continues. Unlike in Great Britain (and most of the UK), a strong percentage of US citizens still recognize human dignity and the harm done to the common good when the sacredness of human life is ignored.
With the repeal of Roe, the U.S. has shown the world that the triumph of the Culture of Life is not inevitable. Although UK parliamentarians voted by such a strong majority to decriminalize abortion until birth, the U.S. pro-life movement has demonstrated that it is possible to push the pendulum in the other direction.
All abortions are barbarous. But there is something uniquely barbarous about late-term abortion, in which everyone involved simply has no excuse for not knowing exactly what they are doing. Every late-term abortionist has seen the fully formed body and face of the preborn child. While they may have a perverted notion that “freedom of choice” means that a woman can choose to have that child killed, the Church has always known better.
Pagan societies routinely destroyed unwanted infants. Christian society put an end to this profoundly unhuman practice. Now, we are reverting to the ages of barbarity. But with prayer, sacrifice, and effort, we can turn the tide back towards a Culture of Life and Civilization of Love.
This article has been reprinted with permission and can be found at hli.org/2025/07/culture-of-death-advances-in-uk.