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Catholics startled by Ireland's 'Yes' vote

Author
AAP,
Publish Date
Mon, 25 May 2015, 2:53PM

Catholics startled by Ireland's 'Yes' vote

Author
AAP,
Publish Date
Mon, 25 May 2015, 2:53PM

The once-dominant Catholic Church in Ireland is trying to come to terms with an overwhelming vote in favour of gay marriage.

As jubilant "Yes" supporters nursed hangovers after partying late into Saturday night following the referendum result, the faithful attended mass to hear their priests reflect on the new social landscape.

"The Church has to find a new language which will be understood and heard by people," Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin told reporters after mass at the city's St Mary's Pro-Cathedral.

"We have to see how is it that the Church's teaching on marriage and family is not being received even within its own flock."

He added: "There's a growing gap between Irish young people and the Church and there's a growing gap between the culture of Ireland that's developing and the Church."

The majority of Irish people still identify themselves as Catholic but the Church's influence has waned amid growing secularisation and after a wave of child sex abuse scandals.

During the campaign, bishops spoke against changing the law, while older and rural voters were thought to have accounted for much of the "No" vote.

Final results showed 62 per cent in favour and 38 per cent against introducing gay marriage in a country where being homosexual was a crime until 1993.

As Sunday's newspapers marked the result with colourful pictures of partying "Yes" supporters, they noted the heavy blow to Church authority.

Niall O'Connor wrote in the Sunday Independent: "The once unshakeable influence of the Catholic Church over Middle Ireland has been confronted."

Ireland will become the 19th country in the world to legalise same-sex marriages once the necessary legislation is approved. The first weddings could happen within six months.

All of Ireland's 43 constituencies except one voted in favour of the measure and the 60-per cent turnout was far higher than in previous referendums.

Congratulations poured in from around the world, including from British Prime Minister David Cameron and US Vice President Joe Biden.

In Australia, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said his country would not follow Ireland's lead and hold a referendum, adding that any decisions would be made by parliament.

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