Dublin, Ireland, May 15, 2018 / 04:00 am
Less than two weeks before a historic vote on whether to allow increased access to abortion in Ireland, thousands of people gathered on Saturday for a final pro-life rally in the capital city of Dublin.
The atmosphere among the crowds was "cautiously optimistic," Paul MacAree, a radio producer for EWTN Ireland, told CNA. Recent polls have shown that as much as 18 percent of Ireland's Catholic-majority population is still undecided on their referendum vote.
"We've got about a 78 percent Catholic population, but unfortunately the Catholic population is very poorly catechized when it comes to understanding these issues," MacAree said.
On May 25, Irish citizens will vote whether they want to repeal the country's eighth amendment, which recognizes the equal right to life of the mother and the unborn child. Under current law, the practice of abortion in Ireland is illegal, unless the mother's health is endangered. Pro-life Irish citizens are encouraging a "no" vote on the referendum.