If there ever were a candidate for ante-mortem canonisation, and if such a thing were theologically possible, Isabel Vaughan-Spruce would be it. Her tireless defence of the unborn, combined with her equally resolute defence of freedom of speech and thought, has received international praise, while the state-administered sanctions imposed upon her have attracted equally fervent condemnation.
Raised in a Catholic family with five siblings, she was inclined towards pro-life beliefs before she became a figurehead in the movement. As a child, when a local facility housing mentally ill adults was closed down, leaving the patients without a home, Isabel’s father welcomed them into the family home. He also invited the homeless and those who had fallen on hard times, with people staying for months or even years. The children of the family would share a room and were taught to call the visitors “the guests”. This early experience taught Isabel to value people for who they are, created in the image of God and possessing inherent worth.
