[Magdalen] Ireland

[Roger Stokes]

On 23/05/2015 21:34, Allan Carr wrote:
> Ireland became the first country in the world to legalize gay marriage by a
> popular vote. In a country once dominated by the Roman Catholic Church, a huge
> majority of 62% voted for gay marriage.

I see that the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin has been quoted as saying 
that if the referendum was an affirmation of the views of young people 
than the Church has a huge task in front of it and "I think really the 
church needs to do a reality check,"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32858501

The Catholic Church in Ireland has seen a massive drop in attendance and 
in the respect in which it is held.  Part of this is due to how it has 
dealt with child abuse in past decades.  This even resilted in Benedict 
XVI commissioning an Apostolic Visitation to Ireland and a number of 
bishops resigning.  The incidence and effect was quite possibly 
proportionally larger than in any other country.

As regards this referendum I think part of the blame lies with a former 
Archbishop of Dublin, McQuaid.  He saw to it that bans on divorce and 
"artificial" contraception, as well as the definition of marriage, were 
written into the constitution when the republic was established.  As a 
result the bans could only be lifted after a referendum, which meant 
after significant public protest.

This is far more divisive, and happens later in the evolution of public 
opinion, than the legislature simply allowing these developments for 
those who want them.  The Archbishop is right that the Church needs to 
do a reality check, and quickly before the Synod on the Family to be 
held in Rome in October.  If they don't then they will find their 
reiteration of the official position will continue to be rejected.

Roger