McAleese Defiant Over Vote for Abortion

21.06.2018

Former Irish president Mary McAleese has said she has not gone to confession since voting Yes in last month’s abortion referendum and that she has “no intention whatsoever” of doing so.

Speaking at a conference organised by the dissident Catholic group We Are Church Ireland, Mrs McAleese told former TV3 journalist Ursula Halligan: “I had no hesitation at the end of the day when it came to the vote - I absolutely voted Yes.”

She said that the Yes votes by ordinary Catholics in the same-sex marriage referendum and the abortion referendum were a statement that their freedom of conscience trumps the Church’s idea of what is a mortal sin.

McAleese also revealed that she will take part in a gay pride march in Dublin at this end of this month. She said she will be taking part in the march with “my gay son and his wonderful husband”, as well as her husband, daughters, some of her brothers and sisters and maybe even her elderly mother.

Belfast Telegraph. June 18.