Bishop of Shrewsbury warns of Christian ‘crossroads’

THE Catholic Bishop of Shrewsbury, the Right Reverend Mark Davies, will warn today that Britain faces a “crossroads” over whether to accept politicians’ and law-makers’ determinations on issues like same-sex marriage, abortion and the right to die.

In today’s Easter homily at Shrewsbury Cathedral, he will say issues of human rights “belong to our human nature and are to be recognised and upheld by every state, every parliament”.

Bishop Davies will say: “Commentators have been puzzled that the Church and Pope Francis’ concern for the poorest is combined with an uncompromising defence of marriage as the union of man and woman; of the family as the vital unit of society; of the unborn routinely destroyed, frozen, manipulated for our purposes; and of the dignity of the aged, threatened in many societies by a killing which calls itself ‘mercy’.

“It makes the question of what a human life is worth the most urgent question of our time. We can see this in the misuse of science or in legislators seeking to redefine the value of human life or to remake marriage.”

He will warn that “if the Christian roots of our society are finally severed” the country could face an uncertain future.

Meanwhile, the Catholic leader of England and Wales last night hailed Easter as a “triumph of light over darkness and life over death”.

In his Easter Vigil, the Archbishop of Westminster quoted recently elected Pope Francis as he called for believers to live their faith with a “young heart”.

Preaching at Westminster Cathedral, the Most Rev Vincent Nichols also referred to the “wounds inflicted upon humanity by evil”. He said: “Let us be honest and realistic. We know the reality of sin, each and every one of us.

“This week, Pope Francis spoke of its reality in these words: ‘Look around – how many wounds are inflicted upon humanity by evil.’”