An influential cardinal in the Vatican is reported to have said he expects the Irish Catholic Hierarchy to oppose the Government's abortion referendum legislation.
Speaking in Rome on November 22nd, Cardinal Alfonso L≤pez Trujillo is quoted as saying: "The situation is delicate in Ireland but we expect that the bishops will react against this project."
The president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, Cardinal Trujillo answered questions during a conference marking the 20th anniversary of Familiaris Consortio papal exhortation.
The intervention runs in conflict with the position expected to be taken by the Catholic Bishops Conference at its meeting in Maynooth in a fortnight's time.
The Pro-Life Campaign and the Government have been informed that the bishops will then come out in favour of the legislation and the referendum. They have refrained from declaring a formal position until the Bill has passed all stages in the Oireachtas.
If enacted, the 25th Amendment of the Constitution (Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy) Bill 2001 will declare that unborn human life after implantation in the womb should be protected from "intentional destruction".
However, the distinction made between implantation in the womb and conception creates major theological difficulties for the Catholic Church, which has always insisted that life begins at conception.
Cardinal Trujillo's remarks were noted down immediately by Father Ignacio Barreiro and Mr Joseph Meeney, who work for an anti-abortion campaign group, Human Life International. The conference, which was attended by some 120 people, took place in the Old Synod Hall in the Vatican. Translators on duty are understood to have taped the proceedings. No journalists were present.
Last night, Mr Meeney told The Irish Times: "The question was asked in English and replied to in Italian. Father Barreiro spoke to me about it afterwards. He was very pleased that the cardinal mentioned it."
The quotes were included in an internationally-circulated newsletter produced weekly by the United Kingdom's Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child.
However, Mr Des Hanafin, of the Pro-Life Campaign in Ireland, said: "I am not taking it very seriously. I am very confident that the bishops and all right-thinking people will accept this proposal because there will never be another chance to stop abortion coming into Ireland."
On October 9th, Father Martin Clarke, speaking on behalf of the Irish Episcopal Conference, welcomed the Government's decision to hold a referendum on abortion next year.
The bishops, he said, had "frequently expressed the view that a referendum was necessary to ensure adequate constitutional protection for the unborn and to rectify the unsatisfactory situation created by the Supreme Court judgement in the X case". The proposals, he said then, had "positive features" but required serious consideration by the conference.
