Paul KeenanParents who lost children to life-limiting conditions have thanked Archbishop Eamon Martin for his call for continued legal protections for the unborn, including those with such conditions.
Last weekend, the Primate appeared on RTÉ’s This Week programme to argue that there is no such thing as limited abortion and, in relation to life-limiting conditions that “medical prognosis for the life of a child in the womb, or the extent of their disabilities, is no more morally relevant than it is when considering an adult who faces the diagnosis of a life-limiting condition”.
Diagnosis
Reacting to his words, Tracy Harkin of Every Life Counts, a support group for parents of children with life-limiting conditions, said: “Archbishop Martin makes a compelling and thought-provoking point when he says that we would not query the right-to-life of an adult because of a severe disability or a life-limiting condition.
We are hearing a never-ending media clamour to have abortion legalised for preborn babies who are diagnosed with a life-limiting condition, and the archbishop’s observation reminds us that if we truly believe in disability rights then we cannot argue for abortion on the basis on severe disability.”
Criticisms
Defending Archbishop Martin from subsequent criticisms for his words, Ms Harkin, whose nine-year-old daughter lives with Trisomy 13, a so-called ‘fatal abnormality’, added: “I’m glad that Archbishop Martin spoke up for the right-to-life of my child, and of every child who is valuable and important despite their disability.
“The reality is that terms like ‘fatal foetal abnormality’ have been shown to be incorrect and misleading, and we are always talking about preborn babies who are alive and kicking at the time a diagnosis is made…the fact remains that many babies with these severe disabilities do have very short lives, but their families say that time together is precious, is important and is a bridge to healing.”