BRITAIN:The most senior Catholic prelate in Scotland, Antrim-born Cardinal Keith O'Brien, has warned Catholic politicians that co-operation in allowing "the unspeakable crime" of abortion could be a "barrier . . . to receiving Holy Communion".
Cardinal O'Brien has urged people to boycott politicians who do not speak out against abortion and called on medical schools to change their teaching on when human life begins. "I urge politicians to have no truck with the evil trade of abortion. For those at Westminster this means finding means of overthrowing the legislation which makes the killing possible."
In a sermon yesterday to mark the 40th anniversary of Britain's 1967 Abortion Act at St Mary's Cathedral in Edinburgh, the cardinal said that "in Scotland we kill the equivalent of a classroom full of schoolchildren every day".
He called for the building up of a generation of medical professionals "unwilling to co-operate in the slaughter" and for "our universities and medical schools to teach that all human life deserves protection".
He also called on "all politicians to answer one simple question: will you protect the right to life of all persons in our society from conception until natural death?" The electorate, he said, should "hold these elected representatives to account".
"For those unwilling to give this support we must be unwilling to give our vote," he added. Abortion had become an alternative form of birth control for many women, he said. "Abortions to save the life of a woman are almost unheard of."
Figures released this week showed that in Scotland there were 13,081 therapeutic abortions performed last year. In 2005 the figure was 12,603.
Liberal Democrat MSP Jeremy Purvis criticised the sermon, saying it was "very unfortunate that he has chosen to use extreme and provocative language and a hectoring and bullying tone against MSPs and MPs".
Labour MSP Michael McMahon defended the cardinal. "The Catholic Church doesn't bend or sway to meet the position of individual politicians, doctors or anyone when it comes to life issues".
He asked: "Why would anyone consider it unusual for the Catholic Church to reiterate its 2,000- year-old position? I don't know what people get so worked up about."
The Scottish Executive would make no comment as abortion is a matter reserved to Westminster.