A Cork priest’s refusal to give communion to Fine Gael TD Colm Burke is 'heartbreakingly ludicrous', according to former President Mary McAleese.
Fr Gabriel Burke refused communion to Deputy Colm Burke during a funeral in Whitechurch on Friday.
Fr Burke covered the chalice when Deputy Burke attended communion.
Speaking this morning Fr Burke said he believes Deputy Burke excommunicated himself "when he voted for abortion".
Mary McAleese told The Pat Kenny Show Fr Burke's argument is unsound.
"Just ludicrous - absolutely, heartbreakingly ludicrous," she said,
"I don't believe any Cardinal in Ireland has ever done such a thing; I don't think the Pope has ever done such a thing.
"I'm pretty sure no Archbishop in Ireland has even done such a thing.
"It's ludicrous".
'Weaponised the abortion issue'
Mrs McAleese said she does not give much credence to the Catholic Church's stance on abortion.
Frankly I don't pay much attention anymore to the way in which the Church has completely weaponised the abortion issue without dealing with one of its own big flaws on that issue - which is that every child in the womb... is regarded as having original sin," she said.
"If they die whether by abortion, stillbirth or miscarriage they are and up until very recently were regarded as unfortunately not entitled to go to heaven".
Mrs McAleese said Church teachings show little compassion for unbaptised children.
"You remember that whole argument about limbo? It was only ever a hypothesis, it was never Church teaching," she said.
"In more recent times the Theological Commission which advises the Pope said, 'We can't say that those children can go to heaven... the best we can say is we hope God will have mercy on their little souls'.
"Honestly I just don't take very seriously people who make a big play about the earthly lives of these little children... and have so little mercy or compassion for the child that dies unbaptised".
'He excommunicated himself'
In defence of his actions, Fr Burke told Red FM he has received support from " up and down the country".
"When he voted for abortion, he excommunicated himself," he said.
"There are two types of ex-communication; [there are] those that are imposed but then there are also ex-communications that you incur by the acts you have done.
"I had to put my phone away last night because I've just got so many people up and down the country supporting me."
Fr Burke said his actions have nothing to do with the abortion referendum.
"When a Catholic politician votes for abortion, he's automatically excommunicated," he said.
"It has nothing to do with the amendment - it is to do with his legislative act.
"He could have, as a politician, fought to have the abortion law as very illiberal."
'What a priest does shouldn't matter'
Fr Burke said just getting an amendment passed "doesn't make it right".
"It's nothing to do with the referendum, it's [Deputy Burke's] legislative acts".
Fr Burke believes his actions would not get as much attention in another secular country.
"What a priest does on a Sunday shouldn't matter," he said.
"This wouldn't appear in France or anywhere like that - but you see we're not really a secular Republic.
"You scratch Paddy a little and he's oozing Catholicism and he doesn't like it and so he gets angry and attacks because he doesn't like it."
Fr Burke suggested that "even though 140,000" people are recorded as 'No Religion' on the Census "it's in their blood".
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