“IF I’m refused, so be it,” a defiant Pat Deering has stated. The Rathvilly-based TD spoke to The Nationalist after Archbishop Eamonn Martin suggested that anyone involved in introducing abortion legislation to Ireland should be refused Holy Communion.
The archbishop stated that anyone involved in making abortion legislation a reality should not approach a priest for Communion, adding that they were excommunicating themselves.
Archbishop Martin, who will succeed Cardinal Sean Brady, made the comments in an interview with a Sunday newspaper.
“It’s very much of a different time to suggest this might happen,” said deputy Deering. “It sounds like he is going back to the 1940s, If I’m refused Communion, so be it, but I don’t think that is an appropriate way for the Catholic Church to progress. I will continue to go to Communion.”
Deputy Deering added that he had accepted that there would not be a free vote on the government’s abortion bill, but said that he had yet to decide if he would vote with the party whip. Instead, he said he would make a decision when armed with all of the information.
“When the final legislation comes out, I’ll see then,” he said. “I’ve publicly not said what I’m going to do. I don’t know myself.”
The Oireachtas Health Committee is currently sitting through ongoing hearings on the issue.
When asked if the diocese of Kildare and Leighlin agreed with Archbishop Martin’s comments a spokesman released a statement saying: “It has always been a general principle of the Church that Catholics should receive Holy Communion in good conscience.”
It added: “As the text of the proposed legislation has not been finalised, it’s premature to comment on any specifics, but we would reiterate the general principle as stated above.”