At an Iona Institute meeting in Sligo, Bishop Kevin Doran addressed the topic, ‘How should a Catholic think about politics’.I find it very difficult to see how any Catholic could, in good conscience, vote for a candidate or a political party whose policy it is to legalise abortion”, the Bishop of Elphin, Kevin Doran will say in a talk tonight hosted by The Iona Institute. He says in the talk, “We need to convince politicians of the importance of supporting and promoting a culture of life that recognises the unique value of every human person, and we need to actively support those who do it.” He also warns that the rights of religious organisations working in the areas of marriage, education and health are under threat because of “equality legislation that does not recognise the right to protect religious ethos”. Bishop Doran will deliver his talk at the Clarion Hotel, Sligo tonight at 8pm. It is called, ‘How should a Catholic think about politics?’ Bishop Doran defends the right of the Catholic Church and of Catholics to engage in politics on the grounds that politics is concerned with ethics and so is the Catholic faith. Catholics must be guided by conscience, he says, but for Catholics conscience must be guided, among other things, by the Word of God and the teaching of the Church. Bishop Doran lists the areas Catholic voters must be most concerned about, namely: respect for human life; the family and education; healthcare; housing; refugees; religious freedom; climate change. With regard to the right to life, he defends the right to life of all human beings including unborn children who will not live long after birth.

February 23, 2016- In a talk organised by The Iona Institute and held in the Clarion hotel, Sligo, the Bishop of Elphin, Dr Kevin Doran, addressed the topic, ‘’How should a Catholic think about politics?’

In his talk, Bishop Doran said he found it “very difficult to see how any Catholic could, in good conscience, vote for a candidate or a political party whose policy it is to legalise abortion”.

He said it was the task of Catholics “to convince politicians of the importance of supporting and promoting a culture of life that recognises the unique value of every human person, and we need to actively support those who do it.”

He also warned that the rights of religious organisations working in the areas of marriage, education and health are under threat because of “equality legislation that does not recognise the right to protect religious ethos”.

Bishop Doran listed the areas Catholic voters must be most concerned about, namely: respect for human life; the family and education; healthcare; housing; refugees; religious freedom; climate change.

Read the talk in full here.