Precious Life celebrates the First Anniversary of the closure of Marie Stopes
This time last year, Northern Ireland’s leading pro-life group, Precious Life, were celebrating the incredible news that the Marie Stopes abortion agency closed its Belfast office.
What a joyful, miraculous time it was! Marie Stopes closed on December 8th 2017.
Director of Precious Life, Bernadette Smyth, had described the closure as a “massive pro-life victory." When Marie Stopes opened in Belfast in 2012, Precious Life made a vow to ‘close the door’ on Marie Stopes. For the 5 years that followed, Precious Life maintained a pro-life presence outside the office every single day – sacrificing many hours in reaching out to abortion-minded women, thus saving countless lives. Precious Life's dedicated volunteers spent over 5000 hours in constant vigil outside the evil centre.
Mrs Smyth had stated, “Marie Stopes has never been needed - nor wanted - in Northern Ireland! In fact, over 70,000 people signed our STOP MARIE STOPES Postcard Petition Campaign, which was presented to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2013. Then the majority of Assembly members voted against private abortion centres like Marie Stopes operating in Northern Ireland."
Unfortunately, due to a petition of concern put forward by Sinn Féin, blocking an amendment which would have closed Marie Stopes, it couldn't be closed at that time. So the battle went on!
Mrs Smyth also said, "The 5 year battle against Marie Stopes was fierce, with constant persecutions and trials - not least my own personal court battle that had the real potential to destroy me, my family, and remove Precious Life off the streets. But I knew in my heart God would not let us down."
Bernadette Smyth concluded, “This closure of Marie Stopes Belfast is all down to the dedication, commitment, and hard work of Precious Life volunteers."
Precious Life have since accelerated their efforts in helping women with unplanned pregnancies, liaising with agencies like Stanton Healthcare NI - because women and babies deserve better than Marie Stopes. We have our urgent Lobby for Life Petition Postcard Campaign which is ongoing.
We thank God that one year later there is no Marie Stopes in Northern Ireland and abortion remains illegal. However, we have accelerated pressure from Westminster to change our pro-life laws. We must all continue to pray, fast and fight to keep abortion not only illegal in Northern Ireland but truly unthinkable!