“Send a strong message to our Parliament” — Stand for Life Rally, Hyde Park, Sunday 15 September

Posted on September 4, 2019 
Filed under Australia, Culture wars, Sydney Diocese

Archbishop Glenn Davies has written to all clergy in the Diocese of Sydney concerning the “misleadingly entitled” Reproductive Health Reform Bill 2019, which he says, “in its current form [will] do great damage to our society in the legalisation of the death of innocent lives in the womb”. 

He says,

“While abortion is currently lawful in NSW… the protective measures instituted by the District Court ruling in 1971 have been completely abandoned for abortions up to 5 1/2 months of pregnancy. While there is merit in decriminalising abortion in certain circumstances, this Bill will permit abortion on demand, whether it be for a mother’s financial circumstances or her desire for a girl rather than a boy.”

Archbishop Davies continues,

“…the reason why I am writing again is to ask for your assistance, this time in promoting the ‘Rally for Life’ on Sunday, 15 September in your parishes and among your communities. The Bill will be debated on Tuesday, 17 September. It is our last chance to make a big display of support for the life of the unborn before the Upper House considers the Bill. The previous rally in Martin Place received significant news coverage, and it certainly attracted the attention of the politicians. It is time to do it again: bigger and better. I shall be there, along with other faith leaders, pro-life MPs and those active in the pro-life cause.

It is probably not since the days of Archbishop Howard Mowll that Sydney Anglicans were invited to join a public demonstration of their faith in this way. In the 1940s, the Archbishop invited every member of the Anglican Church to take part in the Procession of Witness on Good Friday. This was a march from the domain to the Cathedral, in protest of the opening of the Royal Easter Show on Good Friday. Our protest is arguably more significant, as our Parliament moves to allow the death of the most vulnerable and most voiceless in our society, the image bearers of God in utero.

The rally that I now invite you to attend will be on Sunday afternoon in Hyde Park, with plenty of room for families.

Date: Sunday, 15 September 2019
Time: 2.30pm
Location: Hyde Park, Archibald Fountain.”

He concludes his letter,

“As I have said on many occasions, if the silent majority remain silent, they will soon become the silent minority. Let us not be counted as those who stood idly by while our parliament legislated for abortion on demand.

May God have mercy on us.”

(Emphasis added.)

Resources:

Promotional flyer (PDF file).

See the Promotional video on Facebook or on Vimeo.

Facebook event page.

Need some more encouragement? See David Ould’s post, “Abortion – Where are the Protestants?”

Top image: Archbishop Davies at the rally in Martin Place, courtesy New Ark Films.