Pope and gay issues - Responsible words vital

To have a leading Irish politician criticising the Pope is probably a sign of the times.

Eamon Gilmore, the leader of the Labour Party, is actually the most popular party leader in the country in recent polls.

He came out strongly yesterday in criticism of Pope Benedict XVI for “giving comfort” to thugs carrying out violent homophobic assaults. Mr Gilmore suggested that the Pope and others should temper their language in dealing with the gay issue because some of the pontiff’s remarks sparked a spate of anti-gay rhetoric.