The Catholic bishops of England and Wales have condemned legislation related to prayer outside abortion clinics, saying the proposal represents a setback for civic and religious freedom.
Bishop John Sherrington, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster and spokesman for the bishops’ conference on life issues, declared in a statement on September 18 that the Public Order Law “constitutes discrimination and disproportionately affects people of faith.”
Receive the main news from ACI Prensa by WhatsApp and Telegram
It is increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channels today:
“Religious freedom is the fundamental freedom of any free and democratic society, essential for the flourishing and realization of the dignity of every human person. Religious freedom includes the right to manifest private beliefs in public through testimony, prayer and charitable work, even outside of abortion facilities,” said Bishop Sherrington.
“As well as being unnecessary and disproportionate, we have deep concerns about the practical effectiveness of this legislation, particularly given the lack of clarity regarding the practice of private prayer and offers of help within ‘safe access zones’,” continuous.
The approval of the Public Order Law means that from October 31 security zones will be introduced (buffer zones) around abortion facilities throughout England and Wales, constituting a distance of 150 meters from “any part of an abortion clinic or any access point to a building or site that is the site of an abortion clinic.”
A statement from the Ministry of the Interior, published on September 18, stated: “The safety zones will make it illegal for anyone to do anything that intentionally or recklessly influences someone’s decision to use abortion services, obstructs them or causes harassment or It distresses anyone who uses or works in these premises. The law will apply within a 150-meter radius of the abortion provider. “Anyone found guilty of breaking the law will face an unlimited fine.”
The College of Police and the Crown Prosecution Service will soon publish guidance on what activities will be considered illegal. There is still confusion among pro-life activists about whether silent prayer will constitute an “illegal activity” under the new legislation.
This controversial issue made headlines after activist Isabel Vaughan-Spruce was searched and arrested twice for silently praying outside an abortion clinic in November 2022 and February 2023. However, she eventually received a apology from West Midlands Police and compensation of £13,000 (about $17,000), raising questions about how far the new legislation will go.
In a statement released on September 18, Catherine Robinson, spokesperson for Right to Life UK, said: “Hundreds of women have been helped outside abortion clinics by pro-life volunteers who have given them practical support, making it clear to them that “They had no choice but to continue with the abortion.”
“The implementation of safety zones next month will mean that the practical support provided by volunteers outside abortion clinics, which helps to offer real choice and assistance to women who may be being coerced, will be removed for them and “many more lives are likely to be lost to abortion,” he said.
Translated and adapted by the ACI press team. Originally published in CNA.
Madeleine Teahan
Madeleine is a former associate editor of the Catholic Herald. She has contributed to Sky News, BBC News, Woman’s Hour, Beyond Belief and many other programmes. She is also a regular contributor to Pause For Thought on BBC Radio 2.