Ireland's Catholic Bishops see strong merit in the case for Nice, but many in the Catholic press disagree, writes Patsy McGarry
Ireland's Catholic Bishops may have gone as near as makes no difference in calling for a Yes vote in the Nice referendum, but where the Irish Catholic press is concerned, only the Irish Catholic seems to be of similar mind.
This time. Last year the paper was on the No side.
Now it wrestles, publicly, with its conscience on the issue. Last week, its editorial posed the question, "would a second No vote reinforce the point already made last year or not?". The front page carried a banner headline - "Bishops back Nice Treaty". While a four-page special supplement inside was titled "Why the Church backs the EU". As good an indication as any to its readers as to how they might vote on Saturday? Perhaps.
The paper's editor, Mr David Quinn, said he hasn't yet made up his own mind but was "leaning towards a Yes vote." He agreed he was more "anti" than "pro" last year. This view was rooted in a concern about increased federalisation in the EU. The defeat of the referendum then had sent a signal that Ireland did not want increased federalisation, he felt. He now wondered whether there was any point in saying so again.
The statement issued by the bishops on the referendum was approved by the Irish Bishops' Conference at its autumn meeting earlier this month, he noted. Last year's statement by them on Nice had come from the standing committee rather than the entire conference. He now accepted that, "apart from one or two", the bishops were of one mind on Nice.
At Alive and the Irish Family, they remain resolutely opposed to Nice. Though at Alive, on the direction of his Dominican superiors, the editor, Father Brian McKevitt, is this time presenting a more "balanced" paper, with both sides being reported.
Last year, the monthly paper, 290,000 copies of which are given out free door-to-door and at church gates, unequivocally called for a No vote.
Father McKevitt himself is not for turning. He "would be against Nice", mainly through fears of a loss of sovereignty. He had "some problems" with what the Bishops said, but noted they had been very careful not to recommend how people should vote.
Indeed, he felt it was quite clear they were leaving it to the people themselves to decide how they should vote. He found no contradiction between his own position and that of the bishops on the issue. Their statement had been carefully worded and was open to interpretation, he felt.
He agreed Alive, in its 6½ year existence, upheld "very much" the teaching of the Church. It had been critical of the EU on social issues. He was also critical of the manner in which the national media reported on the EU and its failure to tell people what was really happening. He instanced the recent vote for embryo research at the European Parliament, which was supported by Ireland, but was not picked up by the Irish media. He found this "very disturbing".
Mr Dick Hogan, editor of the Irish Family weekly, is calling for a No vote this time too. Its current front-page headline reads: "Nice opens doors to EU government, warns Dana'". Mr Hogan felt a successful Yes outcome would be bad for the country. It would mean "handing more and more away", particularly where sovereignty was concerned. Talk about the enlargement issue was "a red herring", he believed. He regretted the position the Bishops had adopted on Nice.
There is no mention of the Nice debate whatsoever in the current issues of either the Catholic Times or the Universe. Both are published in Manchester. Meanwhile, the Church of Ireland Gazette has come out strongly in favour of Nice. An editorial in the current issue is titled, simply, "Say Yes".