Greg DalyCatholic schools should be allowed to continue teaching Church views
Catholic schools must be allowed to continue teaching that the Church believes marriage can only be between a man and woman even if the marriage referendum is passed, Bishop Kevin Doran has said.
It comes after Taoiseach Enda Kenny appeared to suggest that Catholic schools would be forced to teach the redefinition of marriage if the May 22 poll on same-sex marriage passes.
“The Taoiseach has stated in recent days that the constitutional amendment, if passed, would not change the meaning of marriage,” Dr Doran told The Irish Catholic. “He is, however, suggesting at the same time that Catholic schools would have to teach something different about marriage than what they previously taught.
“Any school of course could teach that the law about marriage has changed but a Catholic school would also have to be free to teach that the Catholic Church does not subscribe to that changed understanding of marriage,” he said, adding: “A key consideration would be how any change in the constitution would have to be reflected in the text and images of the books used in our schools.”
Insisting on RTÉ that the State’s definition was not being changed, but “is merely being added to”, Taoiseach Enda Kenny had responded to a question about what bishops, through schools, would be expected to teach children about marriage if the referendum was passed by saying, “what they will be expected to teach children is that people in this country, in Ireland, in 2016, will have the right to get married irrespective of their sexual orientation.”
Asked for clarification, a spokesman for the Taoiseach said: “Tolerance and inclusivity are also Christian virtues.”
Prof. Ray Kinsella of Mothers and Fathers Matter, the only campaign group calling for a ‘no’ vote, told The Irish Catholic the Taoiseach’s comments appeared “not thought through” and “driven by a minority ideology”.