(LifeSiteNews) – Pope Leo XIV sent a telegram to the Catholic bishops of the United Kingdom and Ireland to share in the “Day of Life” celebrated by the Church in those countries.

In the telegram to Liverpool Archbishop John Sherrington dated June 15 and signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State, Pope Leo assured the bishops of his “spiritual closeness” to them and expressed his hope that their witness will lead to a rejection to the anti-life movements advancing in their countries.

“His Holiness prays that, through your common witness to the God-given dignity of every person, without exception, and to the tender Christ-like accompaniment of the seriously ill all in society will be encouraged to defend rather than undermine a civilization founded on authentic love and genuine compassion,” the telegram reads. (Full telegram published below.)

Cardinal Parolin also praised the bishops’ theme for the pro-life celebration, “Hope Does Not Disappoint: Finding Meaning in Suffering,” as fitting for the Jubilee Year, as it is “focused on the theological virtue of Hope.” The theme of hope in suffering “seeks to draw people’s attention to how the mystery of suffering, so prevalent in the human condition, can be transformed by grace into an experience of the Lord’s Presence, for God is always close to those who are suffering and guides us to appreciate the deeper meaning of life, in love and closeness.”

Archbishop Sherrington, appointed Ordinary of the Archdiocese of Liverpool by the late Pope Francis in April, is the lead bishop for life issues for the Catholic Church in England and Wales. The Catholic Church in Scotland has its own bishops conference, as does the Church in Ireland, which includes both Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.

This past Sunday’s “Day of Life” coincided with increasing fears over pro-assisted suicide and euthanasia “end-of-life” bills in both the UK’s House of Commons and Scotland’s Holyrood, as well as a movement to decriminalize abortion in England and Wales, where there are currently limited protections for unborn babies if they deemed healthy. Under the 1967 Abortion Act, women can ask doctors to kill their unborn child up to 24 weeks after testifying that her mental or physical health is at risk. This does not, however, apply to unborn children diagnosed with serious disabilities or Down syndrome who can be killed at any time until birth. Meanwhile, MPs will decide whether or not to remove the few protections offered the “healthy” unborn this week. Debates will begin tomorrow, Tuesday, June 17.

Telegram of the Holy Father, signed by the Cardinal Secretary of State, on the occasion of the celebrations for the Day of Life of the Episcopal Conferences of England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland, 15.06.2025

THE MOST REVEREND JOHN SHERRINGTON
ARCHBISHOP OF LIVERPOOL

HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV SENDS THE ASSURANCE OF HIS SPIRITUAL CLOSENESS TO THOSE PARTICIPATING IN THE 2025 “DAY FOR LIFE” BEING CELEBRATED JOINTLY BY THE BISHOPS’ CONFERENCES OF ENGLAND AND WALES, SCOTLAND, AND IRELAND. IN THIS JUBILEE YEAR FOCUSSED ON THE THEOLOGICAL VIRTUE OF HOPE, IT IS FITTING THAT YOUR THEME, “HOPE DOES NOT DISAPPOINT – FINDING MEANING IN SUFFERING”, SEEKS TO DRAW PEOPLE’S ATTENTION TO HOW THE MYSTERY OF SUFFERING, SO PREVALENT IN THE HUMAN CONDITION, CAN BE TRANSFORMED BY GRACE INTO AN EXPERIENCE OF THE LORD’S PRESENCE, FOR GOD IS ALWAYS CLOSE TO THOSE WHO ARE SUFFERING AND GUIDES US TO APPRECIATE THE DEEPER MEANING OF LIFE, IN LOVE AND CLOSENESS (CF. MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS, XXXIII WORLD DAY OF THE SICK). HIS HOLINESS PRAYS THAT, THROUGH YOUR COMMON WITNESS TO THE GOD-GIVEN DIGNITY OF EVERY PERSON, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, AND TO THE TENDER CHRIST-LIKE ACCOMPANIMENT OF THE SERIOUSLY ILL, ALL IN SOCIETY WILL BE ENCOURAGED TO DEFEND RATHER THAN UNDERMINE A CIVILIZATION FOUNDED ON AUTHENTIC LOVE AND GENUINE COMPASSION. THE HOLY FATHER ENTRUSTS YOUR EFFORTS TO THE INTERCESSION OF OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL, AND TO ALL SUPPORTING THIS “DAY FOR LIFE”, HE CORDIALLY IMPARTS HIS APOSTOLIC BLESSING AS A PLEDGE OF FORTITUDE, JOY AND PEACE IN THE RISEN LORD.

CARDINAL PIETRO PAROLIN
SECRETARY OF STATE