Free Republic

Former president says material ‘offends all women and the creator who made them’Former president Mary McAleese has called on Pope Francis to remove “awful material” from a Vatican website set up in 2016 which she said “offends all women and the creator who made them”. The document, which blames all human ills on women, including the death of Jesus Christ, appears on the website of the Dicastery (Department) for the Laity, the Family and Life. It appears in English, French and Italian, but not in Spanish or Portuguese translations. Written by Tertullian, one of the early church fathers who died...

LEICESTER, United Kingdom – Former Irish President Mary McAleese says she is pledging “to use whatever time is left to me” to challenge Church teachings on homosexuality and women. Speaking to The View on BBC Northern Ireland on Thursday night, McAleese said, “What else I am going to do in retirement except make myself useful in that regard?” McAleese, 69, served as president of Ireland – a largely ceremonial position – from 1997-2011. She has clashed with Church leaders in the past and was barred from attending a conference taking place at the Vatican in 2018. A longtime critic of...

The Catholic Church's teaching on homosexuality has been described as "evil" by a former Irish president. Mary McAleese said she was hopeful the Pope would change the church's position on the issue. Pope Francis is due to visit the Republic of Ireland this month for the World Meeting of Families, a major event for the Church. Mrs McAleese, who was president from 1997 to 2011, said she hoped it would be free of "homophobic messages". The Pope's two-day tour will be the first papal visit to Ireland for almost 40 years. 'Exploded that myth'Mrs McAleese made her comments about the...

LEICESTER, United Kingdom - Baptizing babies is a violation of their human rights, according to the former president of Ireland. Mary McAleese, who served in the largely ceremonial role of president from 1997-2011, also said she would not attend the Aug. 22-26 World Meeting of Families taking place in Dublin. She told the Irish Times the event, which Pope Francis will attend Aug. 25-26, will only serve as a “political rally” for the “reinforcement of orthodoxy.” McAleese told the newspaper that by baptizing children before they have reached the age of reason, the Church is creating “infant conscripts who are...

Move over, St. Patrick, and make way for the Messiah . . . Mary McAleese, the President of Ireland, used quasi-religious terms to discuss Pres. Obama in an interview with Meredith Vieira broadcast on this morning’s Today. Watch as McAleese’s face lights up at the mere mention of his name. MEREDITH VIEIRA: Barack Obama, our new president. I understand much loved here, in part because he’s a native son. MARY MCALEESE: Absolutely, from Moneygall, County Offaly. VIEIRA: So he’s an Irish boy, in your book. MCALEESE: For sure. For sure. I mean, even if he wasn’t, I think we would...

12:32 Mrs Mary McAleese has been returned to office unopposed for a second seven-year term as President. Her success was officially declared in Dublin's Custom House after the only other contender, Ms Dana Rosemary Scallon, did not secure enough last-minute support before a noon deadline. Mrs McAleese said she was "very proud to have been elected to serve the people of Ireland for the next seven years".