REGINA: Was there more or less enthusiasm for this event in
particular areas?
JP MALLON: What amazed me was that the ENTIRE coast was filled by over 400+ locations. Brian and myself were extremely strict with what we marked as a Rosary location on our map. Many hundreds did not fill in details correctly so perhaps half the locations were missed.
What was clear was how quickly our islands from the very far north of Scotland to the Channel islands at the South of England wanted to be involved. My diocese of Motherwell has in fact no coast, it was the only landlocked Diocese in Scotland yet we had dozens of full bus coaches heading to the nearest beach!
REGINA: The date chosen was the 50 year anniversary of the UK abortion law. What effect has that law had on Catholics and on the Faith in general, do you think?
JP MALLON: The 1967 Abortion law is our national wound. We are an ageing population; we rely on immigration from the EU to boost our economy. The number of babies lost over the last 50 years is now noticeable. As we increasingly age as a society and turn to abortion and contraception we will increase the stress on our cherished public services.
REGINA: Your generation has a different view on abortion than the generations that campaigned for it as an essential woman’s ‘right’, it seems.
JP MALLON: Abortion is profoundly anti-woman. It was billed as the solution to illegal dodgy abortions and we always hear about the hard cases but the figures tell a different story. The vast majority of abortions carried out are unwanted pregnancies in many cases forced or coerced by family, friends and non- committed fathers.
REGINA: It seems that the debate in the UK has been quite muted up until recently.
JP MALLON: Britain still retains that old fashioned politeness and spirit which informs our national conscience, where those in favour prefer not to speak of the realities for fear that coming into the light the reality of this uncivilised solution to crisis pregnancy should be exposed.
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