(Vatican Radio) Irish citizens are at the polls Friday to vote in general elections. The country is facing serious economic challenges and has had several national debates – including referenda – on major social issues including marriage, family, and child-rearing.
Ahead of the elections, the Catholic Bishops of Ireland urged voters to exercise their citizenship responsibly, calling on Catholics to decide questions on the basis of conscience informed by the teaching of the Church.
Bishop Kevin Doran of the Diocese of Elphin spoke Christopher Wells about the Irish Bishops' call to responsible voting.
Listen to the full interview:
Bishop Doran said the bishops' statements focused on every Christian's civic responsibility as set forth in the documents of Vatican II. "The bishops' expression of guidance to the people of Ireland was based around the very clearly-defined responsibilities of Christians in the documents of the Second Vatican Council."
Based on this guideline, Bishop Doran said, "We identified a number of issues, one of which - not surprisingly - was the right to life, the question of homelessness in our society, the challenges of providing a healthcare service which is consistent with the dignity and the needs of people, and a particular focus also on the needs of both refugees, in the broader sense, and particularly Christians who are experiencing persecution in various parts of the world. The need for Ireland, as it has done so many times in the past, is to be a voice of moderation and a voice for justice in the wider world."
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