The Archbishop of Dublin says society could cherish gay people’s rights and relationships, while respecting the uniqueness of the male-female relationship. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin was speaking to a group of diocesan communications officers, ahead of Ireland’s referendum on legal same-sex marriage on May 22. “There can be an ethic of equality which is an ethic Read more
The Archbishop of Dublin has condemned intemperate language that is sometimes used about gays and lesbians as “obnoxious” and “unchristian”. Speaking at a meeting of the Iona Institute, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said much of the discussion on marriage and family in Ireland today is polemical. The archbishop referred to some correspondence he has received in the Read more
An Irish bishop has expressed regret about comments he made about gay people as parents in the lead up to Ireland’s referendum on same-sex marriage. Bishop Kevin Doran of Elphin said in a media interview that a redefinition of marriage was also a redefinition of parenthood. When asked about gay people who are already parents, Read more
Last year, the Catholic Church in the United States spent US$43million on child abuse prevention and education. The figure was mentioned by priest psychologist Msgr Stephen Rossetti at a conference on safeguarding children in Ireland last month. Msgr Rossetti is a professor at The Catholic University of America and a visiting professor at Rome’s Pontifical Read more
Dublin’s archbishop has warned Church leaders not to use insensitive and over-judgemental language in debates on marriage and family. Speaking in a Lenten talk in Country Kerry, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin’s warning also extended to those he called the Church’s “self-appointed spokespeople”. “Where the Church argues from general principles, there is inevitably the feeling on the Read more
Audits have shown that several religious congregations in Ireland have been tardy in implementing the Church’s child protection guidelines. The National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland published reviews on the implementation of policies in 16 religious congregations. Only two orders – the Congregation of the Sacred Heart and the Dominican Read more
Parishes in Dublin in Ireland are determining for themselves how they discuss family issues ahead the synod in October. The Irish Times reported an invitation by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin to priests and parishioners to hold meetings on the subject. In a letter to priests and parishes, Archbishop Martin stated that Pope Francis wants Catholics around the Read more