There are over 300 million people in the world suffering from over 6000 identified rare diseases – European Organisation for Rare Diseases (EURORDIS).
“The reprehensible sub-culture in our society which views all human life as expendable, including the lives of children, must be defeated” – Bishop Michael Router.
What concerns me about the government proposal is not even [bringing] the four years down to two years. It is that they are going to take the waiting period out of the Constitution completely and leave it up to the Oireachtas – David Quinn, Iona Institute.
“As a society and as elected representatives, we cannot hide from the inconvenient truth of what legalised abortion involves” – Senators Rónán Mullen and Brian Ó Domhnaill.
“The spread and use of new technologies has increased autonomy, but for many it has also led to an intensification of work, shrinking the space for life in family and society.”
“A real republic will stand for social justice and for equality. Social Justice Ireland calls on leadership from all sectors of Irish society to become part of a debate on a new social contract for a new century,” said Dr Seán Healy.
Eight female congregations will provide information about vocations and the role a Sister can play in assisting the more vulnerable in society.
"By destabilising marriage we are rapidly eroding the social structure on which humanity depends" warns Dr Michael Neary of Tuam.
“It can be very difficult for parents to provide for the material needs of their children" and there are children who live and sleep in very inadequate situations.
Archbishop Neary expresses his disappointment. "I'm not aware that it has ever been cancelled before and I have been climbing this mountain since I was a young lad many, many years ago."
"Will those who sincerely believe that marriage is between a man and a woman be forced to act against their faith and conscience?” - Bishop Martin Drennan.
The Church is not trying to hurt or offend anyone, “We simply want to respect the dignity of difference between male and female” - Archbishop Eamon Martin.
"Will the terms ‘father’ and ‘mother’ have any real meaning in the future?" - Bishop Phonsie Cullinan.
“At a time when we place emphasis on the richness of pluralism and ... diversity, it is a contradiction to minimise human differences. A father is not the same as a mother.”
The search for equality in our society will not be advanced by undermining the very cornerstone on which a just and stable society is built.
Transcript shows Diarmuid Martin commented on freedom of conscience without making any specific proposal in relation to marriage referendum.
Workplace exploitation, the unemployed's loss of dignity and the need for good politics highlighted by Pontiff in Naples address.
Social Justice Ireland calls on the Coalition to ensure its policies on climate change are coherent.
Without father figures, young people often feel ‘orphaned’ and left adrift at a critical moment in their growth and development.
Many who decry the errors of the recent past quickly forget “how much all of us in our own way were part of a culture of empty celebrity in the days of prosperity”.
New pastoral statement says "Marriage should be reserved for the unique and complementary relationship between a woman and a man.”
The family is the basic unit of society; if the family falls apart, the whole of society will fall apart.
This article is a chapter from the book by Austin Ivereigh and Kathleen Griffin, Catholic Voices: Putting the case for the Church in an era of 24-hour news. It gives a good summary of the central themes of Catholic Social Teaching.
THE CHURCH AND POLITICS
Challenging questions
Why does the Church interfere [...]
Tom Cahill talks with Jean Quinn, founder of the Sophia Housing Association which takes a holistic approach to helping homeless people.
Peter McVerry SJ reviews the first report of the Inspector of Prisons in Ireland, and is glad to see that it has not missed the shameful reality of life for many criminals in the prison system.
Sean O’Conaill argues for the continued aptness of the title of ‘King’ for Christ and for the language of the Kingdom of God, seeing it as an affirmation of the essential equality of all humans.
Advertising, politics, entertainment: are we losing our grip on reality?
If you are weak or disadvantaged and you want your rights protected under this government – forget it, writes Peter McVerry, S.J.
Irish Catholics should welcome the open space that secularism provides, not fear it, writes Sean O’Conaill.
Jesuit University Support and Training (JUST) is a project seeking to help young people (and some not so young) in Ballymun break the cycle of deprivation that kept them from getting into third level education. Tess Martin tells the story.
