Boston Cardinal Snubs Irish PM Over Abortion Support

Cardinal Sean O'Malley. (Getty Images)

Cardinal Sean O'Malley skipped Boston College's commencement Monday to protest its decision to honor Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny, who backs legislation to permit abortion, and O'Malley's views were echoed outside the ceremony by a few dozen pro-life activists.

The protesters gathered at an entrance to the stadium where Kenny gave the keynote address and received an honorary degree, with some holding signs saying it was a scandal that the Catholic school was hosting Kenny.

O'Malley announced he'd skip Boston College's graduation earlier this month, saying Irish bishops had concluded the bill "represents a dramatic and morally unacceptable change to Irish law," and noting that U.S. bishops have asked Catholic institutions not to honor officials who promote abortion.

Boston College spokesman Jack Dunn said Monday that Kenny's invitation was unrelated to the controversial legislation and was offered solely because of historical ties between his country and a school founded by an Irish Jesuit to serve Irish immigrants.

He said the invitation to Kenny in no way erodes the school's anti-abortion stance.

"Boston College as a Catholic institution fully supports the church's commitment to the unborn," he said.

But the bill Kenny supports allows abortion if a doctor determines that it could save the mother’s life or if the mother threatens suicide.

Protester C.J. Doyle of the Catholic Action League called that "the proverbial Mack truck loophole" and said Boston College's decision to honor Kenny undermines the church's anti-abortion teachings.

"What rational person can reasonably be expected to take seriously Catholic opposition to abortion when our own Catholic institutions honor someone who's trying to legalize abortion in his country?" he said.

Ireland is currently in the middle of its own “Roe v Wade” moment and the Irish PM has chosen the side that favors abortion.

Enda Kenny. (Getty Images)

After his address, Kenny told reporters the bill does nothing to change an 1861 Irish law that makes abortion a crime punishable by life in prison.

Instead, the bill "is setting out clarity and legal certainty, that is intended to save lives, not to end them," he said, seemingly ignoring the life of the unborn child.

The bill being debated now permits a single doctor to authorize an abortion if he decides that the woman's life is in immediate danger. Two doctors must approve if a pregnancy poses a potentially lethal risk. The approval of three doctors is required if the woman is threatening suicide.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.