Paul KeenanDear Editor, Your edition of June 12, 2014 included a full page advertorial promoting The Mater Foundation’s Make Your Will Week. This fund raising event for projects in the Mater Hospital poses something of a dilemma for potential donors or testators. Many of your readers, inspired by Christian charitable motives will want to support excellent projects of the type described in the advertorial. The dilemma to which I refer arises from the announcement last September by the Mater Hospital that it will comply with the terms of the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act, 2013 which legalises the provision of abortion ‘services’ in Irish hospitals. This announcement led to the resignation from the hospital’s Board of Governors and Board of Directors of Fr Kevin Doran (currently Bishop elect of the Diocese of Elphin). At the time of his resignation Fr Doran said that he “could not, in conscience, support a statement which indicates without qualification a willingness to comply with the law as provided for in the Act."
Since Fr Doran’s resignation there has been a remarkable silence from the Mater Hospital and its owners, the Sisters of Mercy in Ireland. They have not in any way clarified how they intend to comply with the abortion law. In the absence of any such clarification one can only conclude that their willingness to comply with the Act remains unqualified. While this unsatisfactory state of uncertainty persists potential donors to The Mater Foundation would do well to consider carefully whether their gifts or bequests might be used to fund, directly or indirectly, the provision of abortion related services in the Mater Hospital.
Yours etc.,
Paddy Barry,
Brackenbush Rd,
Killiney,
Co Dublin.