Readers divided over hospital name

Readers divided over hospital name

IC readers are split down the middle as to whether a Louth-based hospital named after Our Lady should drop its name given that it is now providing abortions.

On the newspaper’s Facebook page, online users were asked: “There is controversy over the naming of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, Co. Louth. Some locals are upset at plans to drop the religious name from the State-run facility arguing it honours the Medical Missionaries of Mary. “However, some others have argued that now the hospital provides abortions, it is a sacrilege to name it after the Mother of God. What do you think? Vote and let us know in the comments.”

Out of the 447 people who voted, 237 respondents said the hospital should retain the name, narrowly outnumbering the 210 respondents who opted for the hospital to change its name.

Some readers suggested that The Mother of God cannot be associated with a hospital carrying out abortions whereas others pointed out that the name should be retained and there be more focus on eliminating abortion.