The Irish Times in its leader today is pleased that the Catholic Church isn’t telling people how to vote. It says this is a sign of a “humbler” Church.

One wonders if the Irish Times will follow suit and not tell its readers how to vote in this election or next time a referendum comes around?

The paper generously allows that the Church is entitled to express an opinion on matters of current affairs like health and housing, an even abortion. But it is glad abortion isn’t receiving top billing.

It is also pleased that this Pope doesn’t believe in excommunicating Catholic politicians for defying their Church on the issue of abortion. No, that is to be left to the political parties. The Irish Times didn’t object when Fine Gael expelled seven members of its parliamentary party for refusing to vote for abortion legislation in 2013. That is the political equivalent of excommunication.

It is glad the bishops have left it to Catholics to decide in conscience how to vote next Friday in the General Electin. (Again, will The Irish Times leave it up to its readers and their consciences to decide how to vote, or will it direct them?)

The Irish Times was commenting on the statement from the four Catholic archbishops on the election that was released a few days ago.

Notably, it had nothing to say about the statement issued separately by Archbishop Michael Neary, and the statements issued by Bishop Buckley and Bishop Doran. These gave much more prominence to the issue of the right to life and Bishop Doran wondered how a Catholic could in good conscience vote for a party that favours abortion. (Labour has announced this week that it wants de facto abortion-on-demand).

Very few Catholics today argue that bishops should tell them who to vote for. That does not stop the bishops giving give some guidance as to how to properly weigh certain issues. It is very mysterious that the statement from the four archbishops gave more prominence to healthcare and housing than to the right to life when all other rights are null and void without that most basic of rights, and also given the fact that healthcare and housing have plenty of champions.

In any event, let’s ask for a third time why it is that leader writers feel they have more right than bishops to tell people how to vote?