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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Cardinal sounds abortion warning | Cardinal sounds abortion warning |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Catholic politicians who defend abortion should not expect to remain full members of the church, Scotland's most senior Roman Catholic will warn. | Catholic politicians who defend abortion should not expect to remain full members of the church, Scotland's most senior Roman Catholic will warn. |
| In a sermon marking 40 years since the Abortion Act, Cardinal Keith O'Brien said pro-abortion MPs should consider their stance on receiving Communion. | |
| He will urge voters at Edinburgh's St Mary's Cathedral to reject candidates who defend a "social evil". | He will urge voters at Edinburgh's St Mary's Cathedral to reject candidates who defend a "social evil". |
| The cardinal's opponents have accused him of using inflammatory language. | The cardinal's opponents have accused him of using inflammatory language. |
| We're told by statisticians that the equivalent of a classroom of children every day are being aborted in their mothers' womb Cardinal Keith O'Brien | We're told by statisticians that the equivalent of a classroom of children every day are being aborted in their mothers' womb Cardinal Keith O'Brien |
| They said it is up to elected officials to decide such ethical issues without facing threats from church leaders. | They said it is up to elected officials to decide such ethical issues without facing threats from church leaders. |
| Abortion is a reserved issue legislated over by politicians at Westminster. | Abortion is a reserved issue legislated over by politicians at Westminster. |
| BBC religious affairs correspondent, Robert Pigott, said Cardinal O'Brien has been frustrated by what he sees as the marginalisation of Christian values in public affairs. | BBC religious affairs correspondent, Robert Pigott, said Cardinal O'Brien has been frustrated by what he sees as the marginalisation of Christian values in public affairs. |
| He has embarked on his boldest intervention yet in political life, our correspondent said. | He has embarked on his boldest intervention yet in political life, our correspondent said. |
| His sermon attacks the 1967 act, describing the roughly seven million abortions in Britain since then as an "unspeakable crime" and the "wanton killing of innocents". | His sermon attacks the 1967 act, describing the roughly seven million abortions in Britain since then as an "unspeakable crime" and the "wanton killing of innocents". |
| The cardinal told the BBC: "We're told by statisticians that the equivalent of a classroom of children every day are being aborted in their mothers' womb - basically murdered in their mothers' womb." | The cardinal told the BBC: "We're told by statisticians that the equivalent of a classroom of children every day are being aborted in their mothers' womb - basically murdered in their mothers' womb." |
| However, his intervention has angered some politicians. Jeremy Purvis, a Liberal Democrat member of the Scottish Parliament, said the cardinal was using "inflammatory" language. | However, his intervention has angered some politicians. Jeremy Purvis, a Liberal Democrat member of the Scottish Parliament, said the cardinal was using "inflammatory" language. |
| He said: "It is not right that we would be seen to be put under pressure, or indeed some members threatened, by a religious leader on what is a very sensitive issue." | He said: "It is not right that we would be seen to be put under pressure, or indeed some members threatened, by a religious leader on what is a very sensitive issue." |