Few can imagine the pain and trauma which must be experienced by an expectant mother who terminates her pregnancy by means of abortion. Nevertheless, our concern and compassion for women who have or who might experience this trauma cannot allow us to set aside our very grave concern about the recent amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, passed in the House of Commons, which effectively decriminalises abortion even at full term.

Far from protecting pregnant women, this change to the law would, if enacted, make women in the later stages of pregnancy more vulnerable to ending their pregnancies prematurely and dangerously, once legal safeguards have been removed. Our concern here is not only for these unborn children, but for women experiencing coercion, abuse, or whose mental health is compromised because of the circumstances in which they find themselves.

Coupled with the draft proposals on assisted dying which will shortly return to the House of Commons for further consideration, we register our profound disquiet at the manner in which respect for the God-given dignity of every human life is being eroded because of the decisions of a majority of our elected representatives. We pray that legislators will continue to uphold the presumption of the sanctity of life and the protection of the vulnerable: values shared not only by all mainstream Christian traditions, but also by all historic world faiths.

As catholic Christians beginning our celebrations of the Feast of Corpus Christi today, we give thanks for our calling to be the Body of Christ in the world and to witness to the dignity of every human life, made in the image and likeness of Almighty God whose divine Son shared our humanity from his conception in the womb of blessed Mary and who gives Himself to us now in the form of Bread and Wine.

The Right Reverend Jonathan Baker

Chairman of The Society’s Council of Bishops

The Right Reverend Paul Thomas

Chairman of Forward in Faith