Dear Friends
Thank you so much for all the work, prayer and commitment put into the prolife cause in Ireland over this whole campaign.  Like you I felt devastated because of the choice that the majority of our people made yesterday and yet I chose to trust in the Lord, He is Lord of Ireland and His Purposes and Will shall be achieved in Ireland, maybe now the hard way and not the easy way. I think of the wonderful spiritual heritage of our people going back to St. Patrick that we have now rejected. We chose man’s way over God's way and we will pay a price.
In the light of the people’s choice I cry out for mercy for our people and our land. As the prophet Isaiah says in Scripture: “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. With joy you will draw water from the well of salvation! (Isaiah 12 :2,3)
In appealing to our people to save the Eight, truth was not enough. The No campaign took a human rights perspective on standing up for the unborn child. However the majority of our people bought the so called “Care and Compassion” argument of the Yes side…..3,000 Irish women having to go to England for an abortion etc. They did not give any consideration to God’s perspective.
Our people need spiritual revival as in Patrick’s time. They need to hear the clear gospel message: that God loves them, we are all sinners, but Jesus died to forgive our sins and take our guilt on himself, and so they need to allow the Holy Spirit convict them of sin and accept Jesus into their lives. Then they need to be filled with the Holy Spirit to live the Christian live and lastly they need Christian Community. This is the only way our people will be lifted out of the mire into caring about God’s perspective on life etc. In the words of St. Patrick “I was like a stone lying in the deep mire; and he that is mighty came and in His mercy lifted me up and raised me aloft and placed me on the top of the wall … I must spread everywhere the name of God “
May the Lord give us a new urgency to fulfil the great commission to “go and make disciples of (our nation and) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” All this while functioning under his authority, being filled afresh often with his Spirit and knowing for sure the continuing abiding presence of Jesus with us. (Matthew 28:18-20).  Let us win this nation for Jesus in the days ahead.
Yours Sincerely
Paddy Monaghan
Convenor of Is God for the 8th? Initiative
PS: Bishop Kevin Doran, one of the Is God for the 8th? 123 signatories, has issued a super pastoral message after Referendum result. I have just read it and it confirms the above. He said: “In many countries where abortion has been legal for years Christians continue to bear faithful witness. That hope must inspire us now as we proclaim anew the Gospel of Life, both in the political arena and in the renewal of our pastoral outreach…..St John speaks of Jesus as “a light shining in the darkness; a light that the darkness cannot overcome” (Jn. 1). My prayer for you is that the light of Christ will fill your hearts, especially in these days, so that you in your turn may be “a light to the world”. (Mt. 5)”
