IRELAND
The Irish Times
JOE HUMPHREYS
CATHOLICS: PEOPLE WHO describe themselves as Catholic but do not accept the church’s key teachings should be “honest” and admit they no longer belong to the faith, atheist author and scientist Prof Richard Dawkins has told a Dublin audience.
He said he was intrigued by this week’s Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll showing almost two-thirds (62 per cent) of Catholics believed the bread and wine which was blessed during Mass “only represents the body and blood” of Christ.
Just 26 per cent said they believed the bread and wine transformed into Christ’s body and blood in accordance with the doctrine of transubstantiation. “If they don’t believe in transubstantiation then they are not Roman Catholics,” Prof Dawkins said.
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