One Day More and Every Life Counts are Irish charities which offer support to mothers and fathers of babies with life-limiting conditions. They enable families to make meaningful plans for their child’s life, birth, and death, in a way that honours the baby as well as...
Questions
What if my baby won’t survive?
Many parents who received this news and continued their pregnancy to term say the chance to hold and care for their child, even if just for a few moments, helped them to grieve and heal after their child passed away. They have memories that they cherish and are...
What if I’ve had an abortion?
There is no sin that God's mercy cannot reach. The forgiveness of God cannot be denied to anyone who approaches the Sacrament of Confession with a sincere heart in order to obtain reconciliation with the Father. At the close of the Year of Mercy in 2016, Pope Francis...
Should abortion be a choice?
When it comes to the right to choose, there is a tendency to forget that there is another person involved, an innocent person who has no choice and who depends entirely on others for protection. Abortion is the direct and intentional ending of the life of an unborn...
What if the baby dies?
If a baby dies as a result of life-saving medical treatment to save the life of a pregnant woman it is extremely sad and a tragic outcome. If the intention of the doctor is not to directly and intentionally end the baby’s life, then this is not an abortion.
What happens if a pregnant woman’s life is at risk?
If a seriously ill pregnant woman needs life-saving medical treatment which may, as a secondary effect, put the life of her baby at risk, such treatments are always ethically permissible provided every effort has been made to save the life of both mother and baby....
What is the view of the Church?
The Church teaches that life is sacred from conception to natural death and there is no such thing as a life without value. This belief is based on reason as well as faith. She rejects the suggestion that any person can decide when it is time for another person to...
Isn’t abortion solely a question of religious belief?
The right to life is not just a question of religious belief. As the first and fundamental human right it affects people of all faiths, and none. You do not have to be from any particular faith tradition to agree that human life should be protected and that...
When does a baby’s heart start to beat?
The first few weeks are the most rapid time of development of a new human life. The baby’s beating heart has been recorded as early as 21 days after conception – this is sometimes before mum discovers she is pregnant!
Does life begin at conception?
Yes. But this is not just a question of belief – it's a scientific fact. At the moment of conception, a new, unique human being with his or her own DNA comes into existence. In recent years, amazing advances in ultrasound technology provide us with a window into the...