LIFE CHAIN commemorates 10,000 babies lost to abortion
On Saturday 18th October, hundreds of people from throughout Northern Ireland gathered at Belfast City Hall for our LIFE CHAIN, a moving act of remembrance and commemoration of the 10,000 precious children murdered by abortion, and a public witness that their lives will never be forgotten.
It was six years ago in October 2019, when abortion was forced on Northern Ireland by the Westminster Parliament through Section 9 of the NI Executive Formation Act. Since then, an estimated 10,000 innocent unborn babies have lost their lives to this barbaric legislation. The most recent official figure of 8,490 babies killed was revealed back in May 2024, so a year and half later, tragically that figure is likely now to be even higher than 10,000.
Our Life Chain lined the front of the City Hall, with people holding our sign and banners. The theme of this year's Life Chain was: "THE CHILD IN THE WOMB IS ONE OF US"
We also marked this 6th anniversary with a poignant display of Baby Shoes laid out at the gates of City Hall, forming the number 10,000. The shoes, each with a boy’s or girl’s name attached, represented a life taken by abortion. This heart-rending display, together with our signs and banners, were seen by thousands of people passing the City Hall on Saturday afternoon, and served as a stark reminder of the real human cost of abortion in Northern Ireland.
Speaking to the assembled crowd, Director of Precious Life Bernadette Smyth quoted the words of Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel who said, "...to forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time." We must never forget those 10,000 babies killed.
She reminded the crowd of the horrific reality of Westminster’s abortion legislation in Northern Ireland -
- 10,000 babies killed by abortion is an average of 6 babies killed EVERY DAY
- 10,000 babies killed by abortion is the equivalent of 375 classrooms full of children being killed
- 10,000 babies killed is equivalent to the population of towns like Ballyclare or Ballymoney being killed
WATCH BERNADETTE SMYTH's SPEECH AT OUR LIFE CHAIN...
Bernadette also read a statement from Fr. Patrick McCafferty was who unable to attend this year's Life Chain - "I can’t be present with you all in person today but I wish to assure you of my prayers and that I am with you in spirit ...We hear the cries of the innocent and defenceless and we will never cease to expose the monstrous crime and abominable sin of abortion."
LISTEN TO FR. McCAFFERTY's FULL STATEMENT AT OUR LIFE CHAIN...
Bernadette commended Councillor McKillop for standing fearlessly for the unborn and refusing to compromise her principles. Her resignation exposed the tragic moral decline within the SDLP, a party that once valued the sanctity of human life but has now embraced an agenda that celebrates the destruction of innocent children in the womb.
On Tuesday 21st October - the actual anniversary date of Westminster forcing abortion on Northern Ireland - we took our Memorial Display to Stormont. The baby shoes, and white crosses were laid at the steps of Parliament Buildings. DUP MLA Harry Harvey joined us for the commemoration.
By bringing our Display to Stormont, we once again made sure these Parties were confronted with a stark reminder of the consequences of their actions.
Through our Repeal Section 9 Campaign, we will continue calling on the people of Northern Ireland to speak up; contact their representatives; and demand the repeal of Section 9. We must never forget these precious lives, and we will never stop fighting for the unborn until their full legal protection is restored.
Our Lobby For Life ensured Assembly Members and MPs heard the message loud and clear from the pro-life people of Northern Ireland :
- 79% of respondents to a NI Public Consultation opposed abortion being imposed on Northern Ireland. Abortion is not in our name.
- We are opposed to taxpayer's money being used to pay for the killing of over 10,000 babies, while the Health Service is in crisis due to lack of funding.
- We want our elected representatives to Repeal Section 9 of the NI Executive Formation Act 2019.
- We want our elected representatives to restore full legal protection for ALL unborn babies in Northern Ireland.
- We want our elected representatives to make a commitment to provide women in unexpected pregnancy with life-affirming, compassionate solutions to their difficulties.
