Dr Hanley, a non-practising Catholic, says that in modern Ireland everyone is treated with tolerance, except practising Catholics.
Reading Dr Hanley's article, The Crime of being Catholic, it will be obvious for regular readers of this blog to see that he and I do not agree on a number of ethical issues. However, the importance of Dr Hanley's article comes from his recognition that today, in an age that lauds individual liberty, the rights of pro-life doctors are coming under increasing attack.
The intolerance highlighted by Dr Hanley is just one episode in a global attack on conscientious objection. Locally this can be witnessed in the abortion guidance published by the Northern Ireland health department (rejected by the Northern Ireland High Court). Internationally we see the most serious threat to conscientious objection in the push for universal sexual and reproductive rights by Barack Obama's pro-abortion administration.
In the state of Victoria, Australia, there already exists a law that forces medical practicioners with a conscientious objection to supply the names of other health professionals willing to perform, direct, authorise or supervise an abortion.
I applaud Dr Hanley's clear-mindedness in highlighting this gross hypocrisy, which poses such a danger to pro-life health professionals.
Comments on this blog? Email them to johnsmeaton@spuc.org.uk
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