The Deacon's Bench
A Catholic priest reportedly refused to give communion to a pro-choice TD at a recent funeral Mass.
According to The Sunday Times, Fianna Fáil TD Robert Troy was refused communion because he supported the introduction of legalized abortion services.
The report claims that Fr John Hogan, parish priest of Multyfarnham in Co Westmeath, withheld the host from Troy on January 4 during a requiem mass at St Nicholas’s parish church.
Troy, who had previously been regarded as ‘anti-choice’, revealed that he voted yes in the referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment in an interview with Hot Press last month.
Troy said: “I voted to repeal it. I have to say, I thought long and hard about it. In terms of repealing the Eighth, I would have no issue in terms of fatal fetal abnormalities, incest and rape. Other areas I’m uncomfortable with it. But when it came down to it, I asked myself the question: ‘By voting no, would it prevent one termination?’ And I then I said, ‘No, because what it does is, it victimizes women and it forces them to go abroad.’ While I had concerns about the 12-week nature, I ultimately came down with the decision to vote Yes.”
Stay tuned.
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