I think that separate from the issue of abortion, church leaders should see what's happening in Ireland as a hard example of what their leadership of the church in recent years has done.  The influence of the church, its effectiveness in society, and even what it teaches has all been diminished by the way bishops have handled society, the laity, and themselves.

It's not just the abuse, nor the billions the scandal has cost the church, nor their failure to accept personal accountability.  It's the laundries, the orphanages, the homes, rings and imperiousness.  It's the bishop bling's, Cardinal laws, and the sense of a double standard.  Ultimately, it's the sense that they don't care what the laity thinks (or needs), that the bishops look past us...

When you live and govern long enough from the position that you're above the rest, and yet try to dictate the morality of others, sooner or later, people will walk away.

Will they learn, or care, or even see?