IRELAND'S Catholic bishops have again called for the Stormont assembly to return in order to stymie the impending passage of new abortion laws by Westminster.
Abortion is due to be decriminalised in Northern Ireland by April if devolution is not restored by October 21.
Leaders from the north's four main churches earlier this week expressed "grave concern" at what they described as "almost unregulated" abortion and urging political parties to "take risks" and "make the compromises necessary" to restore the devolved institutions.
Yesterday's statement, following the Autumn General Meeting of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference in Saint Patrick's College, Maynooth, comes ahead of the annual `Day for Life' on Sunday.
They said "human laws do not determine what is good or true" and "every human life is a gift and a blessing and ought not be destroyed or disposed of at will".
Referring to "very specific threats to the respect and dignity that is due to every human life" across Ireland , they called on "the faithful to devote time to private and public prayer for the protection of unborn life over the coming weeks".
The statements laments "the tragic rationale that renders an unborn child a commodity, devoid of any innate value" and expressed the bishops "grave concern at the imposition of dramatic changes to abortion legislation in Northern Ireland".
"Alongside prayer, every Christian needs to be aware of what is happening and know how he or she can help promote the culture of life from conception to natural death," it continues.
"... Every voter and every political representative should be very clear that abortion is a brutal violation of the precious gift of life.
"The freedom of conscience of healthcare professionals needs to be respected and they should not be required to lend their support to an action which conflicts with their commitment to uphold life."
It was issued a day after the high court ruled that the north's abortion law breaches the UK's human rights commitments.
