Media silent on Kenny’s acts of expulsion

When Enda Kenny used the ‘crosier’ of the parliamentary party whip to bully Fine Gael TDs into supporting his abortion Bill, and he ‘excommunicated’ from the Fine Gael parliamentary party Deputies Lucinda Creighton, Terence Flanagan, Peter Mathews, Billy Timmins and Brian Walsh for honouring Fine Gael’s general election pledge not to introduce abortion legislation, there were very few criticisms of his actions by media commentators.

Yet, when some bishops raised the possibility that Catholic politicians voting for the legalisation of abortion may face excommunication from the Catholic Church, there was massive criticism of the Church in the media.

It would appear that our political leaders and parties have become the new ‘bishops’ and ‘church’ of the 21st century, who must be feared and obeyed. Those representatives who dare to stand by principles and conscience against the party on life and death issues face political eternal damnation, and this is deemed acceptable. Have we learned nothing from history?