Dublin, Ireland, Jun 2, 2010 / 01:02 am
In a recent article for the Irish Medical Times, a doctor argued that although he may “vehemently disagree” with many of his Catholic colleagues on issues such as contraception, “they may be assured that I will passionately defend their fundamental right to practice medicine according to their conscience.”
Dr. Ruairi Hanley made his remarks in an April 29 article, commenting on what he feels is a blatant intolerance for Catholicism in Modern Ireland and arguing that Catholic doctors have a right to act according to their faith, in what he believes to be an increasingly state-controlled realm of medicine in the country.
Referencing the media firestorm over recently surfaced clerical sex abuse cases in the Church in Ireland, Dr. Hanley began by qualifying that he accepts that “it is open season on the Roman faith.”
“The revelations of child abuse and cover-ups are truly a disgrace to our nation,” he granted. “It is understandable that people feel distraught at what occurred over the past six decades. Those who are guilty must be severely punished and substantial compensation should be paid to all victims.”