A Tridentine Bishop is to set sail in an attempt to block the arrival of the Dutch abortion ship, Aurora, into Cork harbour.
Bishop Michael Cox, head of the Latin Tridentine Church in Ireland, intends to sail a 75-foot-long ex-trawler, called
The Little Bishop
, into the path of the Aurora which he has called a "murder ship" as it approaches Cork harbour.
His ship will leave from Fenit harbour in Co Kerry next Monday but will not reach Dublin in time to block the ship on its arrival there.
But he is calling for "an Armada of ships" to join him on his mission to block the ship at Cork harbour.
Speaking from his church - St Coleman's at Cree in Birr, Co Offaly - today, Bishop Cox said he intends to employ similar tactics to those used by Greenpeace.
"I will make a nuisance of myself", he said. "I will just be letting them know they’re not welcome."
Bishop Cox is seeking volunteers to help him crew his ship. He said he does not intend to board the Dutch vessel but will be addressing them through a loud hailer.
"I will tell them who I am and what I represent and request them to turn back to where they came from," said Bishop Cox, adding that he represented almighty God and "all right-minded, thinking Christians".
The Aurora- also called the Sea of Change- set sail from a Dutch port on Monday and is due to dock in Dublin tomorrow. It will then do a tour of the Irish coast, stopping at a number of ports.
The ship has been financed by an organisation called Women on Waves, who applied for a licence to perform abortions in The Netherlands but have not yet received it.
As abortions are illegal without a licence, the doctors on board could face prosecution on their return home if they perform abortions on the ship during their time in Irish waters.