Sir - Dr Robert K. Doyle (October 29th), stressed that human life begins with conception and that the wording of the proposed referendum is "utterly flawed" in that it doesn't acknowledge this. As a point on which we should ponder, he mentions how Mary revealed herself to Bernadette at Lourdes as "the Immaculate Conception".
The Pope has repeatedly mentioned the Immaculate Conception of Mary (celebrated on December 8th) as showing that human life begins at conception (Encyclical "Evangelium Vitae" No. 45). Any compromise on conception as the beginning of human life would undermine everything. During his visit to Ireland in 1979, the Pope said at the Mass in Limerick (October 1st): "May Ireland never weaken in her witness, before Europe and before the whole world, to the dignity and sacredness of all human life, from conception until death. - Yours, etc.,
Michael Manning, The Presbytery, Millstreet, Co Cork.