The press and the public are talking about the double standards inside the Catholic Church, which has been evidently exemplified by Sister Margaret McBride’s excommunication from the Church.

Sister Margaret McBride was excommunicated, by order of Bishop Thomas Olmstead, for concurring to the termination of an 11-week-old fetus so as to try to rescue the seriously sick mother.

On the other hand, Cardinal Sean Brady, Primate of all Ireland, has determined that he will stay as head of the Church in Ireland, although he confesses that he was part of a 30 year conspiracy of the sexual abuse committed by Father Brendan Smyth. He had chosen for himself that he will continue to be in authority in the Church till he retires.

A double standard is quite apparent.

Sister Margaret played as a part of an ethics board at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Phoenix, Arizona. The board, together with Sister Margaret made the choice that ceasing the 11-weeks pregnancy was the only feasible way that the doctors had in rescuing the mother’s life.

The hospital said in a statement, “In this tragic case, the treatment necessary to save the mother’s life required the termination of an 11-week pregnancy”.

The decision was arrived at after discussion with the patient, her family, her doctors, and in meeting with the Ethics Committee.