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| Patrick McCrystal |
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| Patrick McCrystal |
Patrick McCrystal from Co. Tyrone graduated in pharmacy from Queen's University, Belfast, in 1987. For six years, he worked in various capacities in Northern Ireland – as a full-time pharmacist, locum pharmacist, in hospital and clinical research. Over this period he have made the decision not to dispense the so-called "morning after" pill because of its abortifacient nature. This was a decision that most employers were willing to agree to, particularly as a locum pharmacist when one was employed for relatively shorter periods of time. Then in May 1993, he started a job in a pharmacy outside Belfast and he found myself, for the first time, in a position where he quite simply had no choice but to dispense it or else leave his post.
This threw Patrick into a real dilemma because he knew he had to take a stand once and for all, on this issue. However, he knew that a decision of even more profound ramifications awaited him. Deep down he strongly suspected that ALL contraceptive pills caused early abortions and if he was to give up his job for one pill he had to give up his job for them all. This action of the pill causing early abortion is one that not everyone realises. Over the next two months he consulted with a wide range of people – professional, pastoral and lay. He had the benefit of praying once a week with some men and they discussed and debated the issue for weeks. Here he was, a healthcare professional standing to promote health and prolong life on one hand while handing out pills that terminated human life on the other. Deep down in his heart he knew what he had to do.
Very soon he got to the stage where it was tearing at his heart every time a prescription for the pill came into the pharmacy. The advice he was getting was conflicting. Some people exhorted him to stand his ground – remain firm in his convictions. Others were saying:
"You're ruining your life at such an early stage; your shooting yourself in the foot; who in heaven's name is going to employ you?"Patrick was then told about Pharmacist For Life International, a world-wide network of pharmacists who defend and promote the integrity of all human life, from fertilisation to natural death. It was an enormous relief to realise that somewhere in the world there were pharmacists who were thinking the same way. Pharmacist For Life asked him to be the Northern Ireland co-ordinator which sounded good, even though for a while he was the only one to co-ordinate! He was praying hard and even fasting and asking God what he should do. Then came a much starker choice:
"I have set before you life and death, blessing or curse. Choose life, that you and your descendants may live,"
Deut. 30:19
Finally a verse from Psalms:"Who is the man who ascends the mountain of the Lord? He who has clean hands and a pure heart and desires not worthless things."
Ps. 24:3-4
He knew as he handed over those pills he was not a man with clean hands. So in September 1993, he handed in his notice – to the great surprise of his employers.The beginning of the following year Patrick applying for jobs over the entire island of Ireland, north and south. Even though a pharmacist in his position could dispense 98% of a day's prescriptions nobody was willing to employ him. He felt it only fair to mention his views at the time of interview and, when the subject came up, some employers were quite vehement. Those were the dark days. Savings were running out and there was no sign of employment. It was also a time when he discovered who his real friends were. These were the days when he literally cried out to God in desperation:
"I've followed you into this situation and you have to get me out of it."I researched and wrote an article addressed to my pharmacist professional peers on the ethical dilemma of dispensing abortifacient drugs. Having spent hundred of hours in the medical libraries and sifting through the clinical literature, he discovered what he always suspected – ALL the contraceptive pills and drugs were abortifacient. They all possessed an intrinsic mechanism which caused early abortion of tiny embryos just after fertilisation.
Patrick knew that he had made the right decision. This article was published in February, 1995, in Chemist and Druggist magazine, one of the two main retail magazines in the UK. Its publication caused quite a reaction in the profession and he received letters and telephone calls from pharmacists all over the country.
One month later Pope John Paul II, in an address to Catholic Italian Pharmacists, said:
"One cannot accept being party to attacks on life … or on procreation."This affirmed – from the top – that he had done the right thing. The following month saw the publication of Evangelium Vitae, Pope John Paul's encyclical The Gospel of Life.
This truly masterful document calls all Christians and all people of goodwill to be people of Life and Light. It analyses the roots of the "Culture of death" in all its forms – abortion, euthanasia, contraception, embryo research, in vitro fertilisation, population control and others. The encyclical clearly outlines the challenge and responsibility of all to revere, respect and defend the dignity and preciousness of all human life, from fertilisation to natural death.
In June, 1995, he was invited to speak at a conference in Dublin on contraceptive drugs being abortifacient and the ethical and moral implications for pill users and healthcare professionals in light of Evangelium Vitae. This was well received and he was thereafter invited to a number of venues in Ireland and England. The fact that tiny human life is being destroyed just after fertilisation during contraceptive usage is not known to most. From a Christian standpoint, since new life begins at fertilisation, the concept of a soul and a guardian angel from the very first instant of existence are real considerations. Even the probability of tiny human embryos being lost during contraceptive usage has profound implications for women using these drugs.
Post-script
Women's anger - By now he was receiving a growing number of requests to speak to women's groups, school groups and so on.
In his experience women's most common reaction when they discover the abortive nature of 'the pill' is one of anger.
"they are angry that nobody has told them this before..."
Sanctity of Life
In March 1997 Patrick was asked by Human Life International (HLI) to become Director of the Irish branch. HLI defends the sanctity of human life from fertilization to natural death, and works to uphold the dignity of marriage and the family. He served for 7 years until 2004.
Patrick is married to Therese and they have four young children.
Human Life International (Ireland)
6 Belvedere Place, Dublin 1
Tel: (01) 8552504
Fax: (01) 8552767