While church leaders did come out against gay marriage, and many priests advocated a No vote from the altar, they left most of the organization of opposition to a relatively small network of religious conservatives and their allies. This, together with greater internal opposition to the official position than in the past, meant that the church was in a much weaker position than in previous referendums. However scandals about sexual abuse - and the willingness of the church hierarchy to cover it up - have precipitated a calamitous decline in the social authority of the church over the last decade.
