Bishop John Sherrington at the UK March for Life by Catholic Church England and Wales (Mazur/cbcew.org.uk) / Flickr
After a recent report revealed that nearly 30% of all conceptions in England and Wales ended in abortion in 2022, the archbishop of Liverpool this month called for efforts to create a culture that protects unborn children and supports parents in need.
The statement from Archbishop John Sherrington, who is also the lead bishop for life issues for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, also comes just weeks after the UK Parliament voted to decriminalize abortion up to and during birth. This vote conflicts with legislation that Parliament recently supported regarding unborn children.
“In recent times, parliament has recognised the humanity of the unborn baby by extending the provision of baby loss certificates where the mother miscarries as well as by legislating for bereavement following miscarriage,” Archbishop Sherrington said in the July 11 statement. “And yet, following on from the moves to decriminalise abortion up to birth, we read today that nearly one in three babies who are conceived have their lives ended prematurely by abortion, rising to nearly half of all babies in some parts of the country.”
According to a July 11 Right to Life News press release, in Liverpool in 2022, 40.3% of all conceptions ended in abortion. Percentages in Brighton and Hove, Lambeth, Halton, and Knowsley followed closely, at 40.3, 38.4, 38.1, and 38.0%.
The Office for National Statistics released a report July 9 detailing that overall, the number of abortions in England and Wales has increased from 26.54% in 2021 to 29.69% in 2022.
According to the July 11 statement, the percentage of these abortions in 2012 was 20.84%.
In 2022, 247,703 out of 834,260 conceptions in England and Wales ended in abortion.
Archbishop Sherrington urged action in light of these harrowing, rising numbers.
“We need rapidly to re-establish a culture of life in which the unborn child is properly protected in legislation,” he said, “and in which we also provide compassionate assistance to those parents facing trauma as a result of their pregnancy.”
