S.P.U.C. behind ‘letters for life’

Press, 1 May 1978, Page 10

S.P.U.C. behind ‘letters for life’

The “letters for life” notices which have appeared in some Roman Catholic parish newsletters were suggested by the Society lor the Protection of. the Unborn Child, said the national president of S.P.U.C. (Mr J. D. Dalgety). The Beckenham parish newsletter of April 9 said: “Write a letter for life. Send it to the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) and tell him that you believe the new abortion law is in the best interests of mother and unborn child. You are being urged to do this to counteract, the Repeal petition.” Mr Dalgety said the “letters for life’ ’campaign had been S.P.U.C.’s idea. The campaign had begun about a month ago. “We have sought the support of a number of churches. We have sent letters to the Catholics, the Mormons, and the Pentecostals,” he said.

Mr Dalgetyq emphasised that it was not just the Roman Catholic Church that was involved.

“We. plan to carry on virtually to the end of the year. We are just getting off the

ground at this stage,” he said. The society had received the active support of the Mormons and the Pentecostals. The plan was to invite members and supporters to write to the Prime Minister telling him their opinion on abortion and the legislation. “One letter of that sort is worth 20 signatures on any petition,” said Mr Dalgety. ' “Anybody can sign a petition and not •be very clear as to what it means. Because of misrepresentation by the news media, many people who signed the Repeal petition did not realise they were advocating abortion on demand.”

The Prime Minister’s office has received 2176 “letters for life” since the publication of an appeal in a Tawa Roman Catholic Church newsletter on April 9. Mr Dalgety described this as a “good response.” The parish priest of Beckenham (the Rev. F. Conway) said he was not prepared to discuss the notice which appeared in his parish’s newsletter. as he regarded it as an “internal matter.”