Bishop Campbell said he had received supportive emails, "But I have received some nasty emails too, and some are quite personal".

He declined to tell the Otago Daily Times the exact contents, saying only "I would describe them as offensive".

The letter calls for the Southern DHB to stop its plan to begin performing abortions in Southland Hospital - which they plan to start in early August.

1 August 2012

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ

You will be aware that there are proposals in place to establish an abortion facility at Southland Hospital. In spite of the good work of Southlanders for Life, Voice for Life and many concerned in raising their voices in opposition the Management at Southland Hospital still appear to be pursuing this option. The pleas of many concerned people on this issue have gone unheeded. As Catholics our opposition to abortion is well-known.

The New Zealand Catholic Bishops have on a number of occasions written about the evil of abortion. In 1989 in speaking of abortion as the "greatest human rights issue confronting New Zealand in our day" they went on to say:

"Every human being has an inviolable right to life. Rich or poor, strong or weak, young or old, born or unborn - every human life is sacred. The directly-intended killing of any innocent human being is always wrong. Nothing can ever justify it. It is urgent to proclaim this truth in season and out of season, welcome or unwelcome." (What's wrong with abortion? New Zealand Catholic Bishops, 1989)

As a Family of Faith we are opposed to all abortion and we must do all we can to prevent this culture of death spreading in our country. As the ad goes, "think globally, act locally". Let us continue to pray and raise our voices in the private and public arena and in our wider community. Let our voices and pleas be heard by our politicians and Minister of Health. We pray that members of the Southern District Health Board and its management will hear our voice and reject this license for abortion at our Southland Hospital.

"Each human is a unique masterpiece, yet each is a likeness of God individually and separately hand-drawn by the Creator and destined, through union with Christ, to live forever." (ibid, NZCBC, 1989)

In the Spirit

+ Colin Campbell

Source

• The Otago Daily Times
• Scoop
• Image: TV3

He says that the introduction of abortion services brings a "conflict of conscience" for many staff members, is opposed to the "central tradition" of medical ethics, and concludes that "Liberal abortion is simply not good medicine and this is why many Southlanders are deeply concerned this harmful procedure will be practised within our community".

• Read Norman MacLean's opinion piece.
• Image: Youth Speak News

Mr Norman MaLean was a clinical obstetrician and gynaecologist at Southland Hospital for 35 years. He works in Invercargill as a senior lecturer in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Otago Medical School.