An Irish bishop says that Catholics who voted for "Yes" during the recent Ireland referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment should go to confession.
Bishop Kevin Doran from Elphin told RTE Radio One that Catholics who supported the repeal have committed a sin but said that those who go to confession will be shown compassion in their penitence.
Doran's statements, however, sparked angry replies from the listeners. Some sent in text messages to say that they attended mass regularly and still voted for "Yes." Other listeners, however, told host Sean O'Rourke that they would never disclose to their neighbors that they supported the repeal of the Eighth Amendment.
But Doran is not alone in his disappointment about the turnout of Ireland's referendum, where at least 66 percent of voters chose to make abortion legal.
"It's extraordinary the way the campaign focused so much on 'me, me, me,' the rights of the mother, and very little mention of the unborn child," 75-year-old devotee Frank Gaynor told reporters. "That was sidelined," he added.
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, however, said that the vote was also a reflection of how Irish Catholics view the church today. Martin told the Independent that church leaders should take this as a chance to assess the role of the church in shaping culture.
"Pro-life means radically rediscovering in all our lives a special love for the poor that is the mark of the followers of Jesus," Martin said.
Following last Saturday's referendum, the next task is for lawmakers to craft legislation and guidelines to ensure that the process is safe for women.
Pro-lifers, however, said that their fight is not yet over and they will continue to oppose any new legislation.
"Shortly, legislation will be introduced that will allow babies to be killed in our country. We will oppose that legislation," No voter John McGuirck said.
