AN anti-abortion campaigner arrested at Armagh Cathedral has called on Catholic leaders to threaten people involved in abortions with excommunication.
Armagh man Pól Ó hAgáin was detained by police after refusing to leave the cathedral last month while taking part in a prayer vigil for the unborn.
The 57-year-old was later charged with obstruction and “obstructive sitting”.
Mr Ó hAgáin is a member of the Irish Pro-Life Movement and was taking part in the vigil days before abortion became legally available in the Republic.
He believes that Archbishop of Armagh Eamon Martin should publicly state that anyone involved in helping to provide abortions should be excommunicated.
Dr Martin said last week that abortion must be “resisted” and that people should “call and work diligently for its limitation, amendment and repeal”.
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But Mr Ó hAgáin believes this does not go far enough.
“We were holding the prayer vigil on behalf of the unborn children of Ireland about to be killed by abortion.
“We believe he should be telling the politicians and medical practitioners about to embark on this awful deed that if they continue to do so they will face the full sanction of the Church up to excommunication if they don’t turn from this evil practice.”
Police were called to the cathedral after Mr Ó hAgáin refused a request to leave.
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He said he and another man were later carried from the building by officers.
“We were seeking sanctuary in the church as an unborn child seeks sanctuary in its mother’s womb."
He also claims that Archbishop Martin has refused to meet with his group in the past.
Mr Ó hAgáin said that after being arrested a condition of police bail included a restriction on entering Armagh Cathedral.
He said he refused to observe this and subsequently attended Mass twice, and was told by police not to attend evening Mass on Sunday December 30.
It has now emerged that he was arrested for a second time last Friday and brought to Newry Magistrates Court where he was accused of breaching his bail conditions.
It is understood the original bail restrictions have now been lifted.
A spokeswoman for the PSNI said a 57-year-old man is due to appear at Armagh Magistrates Court on January 22.
She added that a 57-year-old man was arrested on Friday for breach of bail and later appeared at Newry Magistrates Court.
A spokesman for the Catholic Church said he was "unable to comment on any ongoing police matter".
Meanwhile, Archbishop of Dublin Dr Diarmuid Martin has urged caution at protests outside GP surgeries which have begun providing abortion services after a referendum in the Republic removed constitutional restrictions on the procedure.
"I would be particularly cautious about protesting against GPs because everybody is going there, and people go there for all sorts of reasons,” he said.
