A new Bill aims to redefine how the law sees abortion
At midnight on Monday, many Catholics across Portsmouth diocese began a fast, not to be broken until Communion the next day. And at Tuesday’s Masses, priests wore purple vestments, signifying penance, and were encouraged to use the prayers for the Votive Mass for the Progress of Peoples.
Why the sombre mood, and the prayers? Because October is the anniversary of the 1968 Abortion Act receiving royal assent. And on Tuesday, just as the Catholic Herald was going to press, MPs backed by 208-123 the first reading of a bill on the complete decriminalisation of abortion.
