CATHOLIC MP for Walsail North, Mr. William Wells, this week made an eleventh hour plea to Christians to campaign for modifications to Mr. David Steel's Termination of Pregnancy Bill. Noting that a petition against the Bill was being drawn up in West Hartlepool, he told the CATHOLIC HERALD the time to press for the insertion of a conscience clause, or any other amendment is now, before the Bill's Third Reading. If amendments are to be made in the committee stages, he said, Christians must write to their MPs immediately.
Holy Mountain pilgrimage
MORE than 60,000 pilgrims took part in this year's pilgrimage to Croagh Patrick, Ireland's Holy Mountain. Following in the "footsteps of St. Patrick", they made the arduous 2,500 ft. climb to the summit where Masses were celebrated in a tiny oratory. Many of the pilgrims made the ascent without shoes and came down with feet bruised, sore and bleeding. Archbishop Walsh of Tuam greeted them at the foot of the mountain, as he has done for the past 25 years.