The Malta Independent 20 April 2024, Saturday
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A pro-life Catholic Irish couple addresses students

Wednesday, 5 February 2020, 13:31 Last update: about 5 years ago

Recently a pro-life Irish couple, Carmen and Declan Waters addressed a group of Form 5 students at St Margaret College Secondary School, Verdala Cospicua. The Irish couple was invited to school by teacher Martin Azzopardi sdc to hold a talk in class about the sacred value of human life from its very beginning until its end. Carmen Waters said that when abortion was introduced in Ireland it was shocking to see Irish women celebrating in favour of abortion.

In fact, after a bitter referendum campaign, the amendment of the Constitution of Ireland was passed by 67% voting in favour of abortion to 33% voting against. Then on 25 May 2018, a referendum was passed by a similar margin to remove the Constitutional ban on abortion and was signed in to law on 18 September 2018. Nowadays abortion in Ireland is permitted during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and in cases where the pregnant woman's life or health is at risk or in the cases of a fatal foetal abnormality.

Declan Waters quoted Pope John Paul II in saying: "A nation that kills its own children is a nation without a future" (June 1997). Throughout his pontificate, Pope John Paul II was always outspoken on life issues and he rarely lost an opportunity to speak out against abortion. In 2004 the Pope canonised Gianna Beretta Molla, who died of cancer in 1962 after refusing life-saving treatment that would have required the termination of her pregnancy.

Carmen insisted by saying that "every birth is innocent and God has a plan for it". So she encouraged students to leave sex for marriage and build a married life on the sacrament of matrimony. Declan said that if we Christians want to live a happy life we must learn to abide by moral standards and live by the 10 Commandments.

Some years ago, Carmen and Declan Waters founded the Rosary of the Unborn at St Margaret College and since then students attending Religion lessons still pass on the rosary beads from one student to another reciting one Hail Mary prayer in their hearts to end abortion around the world. The Irish couple were so happy to see that the rosary of the unborn is still practised at St Margaret College.

Azzopardi said: "Educating our students in a pro-life spirit is part of our holistic approach in education and this helps to build up a generation of people with more love and respect for every living creature."

 


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