Catholics make up 78% of free state population.👍👍👍

[Milltown Row2]

Catholic Ireland about to relax the Easter drinking laws, pubs and clubs will now be allowed to open on Good Friday, I'm surprised that the 78% haven't kicked up a fuss!

Prod north hasnt

[Farrandeelin]

I'd say your man Luther wouldn't leave the church now to be honest.

[vallankumous]

Catholic Ireland about to relax the Easter drinking laws, pubs and clubs will now be allowed to open on Good Friday, I'm surprised that the 78% haven't kicked up a fuss!

I'm surprised there aren't more atheists working on Sundays.

[imtommygunn]

Catholic Ireland about to relax the Easter drinking laws, pubs and clubs will now be allowed to open on Good Friday, I'm surprised that the 78% haven't kicked up a fuss!

What is kick out time though??

A lot of pubs could make some money over the easter period and are denied.

[T Fearon]

Surprise surprise.Free state govt out of touch with its people....again.

[Rossfan]

Surprise surprise.Free state govt out of touch with its people....again.

Not surprising seeing as the last Free State Govt went out of existence 80 years ago.

[johnneycool]

Catholic Ireland about to relax the Easter drinking laws, pubs and clubs will now be allowed to open on Good Friday, I'm surprised that the 78% haven't kicked up a fuss!

I'm surprised there aren't more atheists working on Sundays.

The Nordie legislation to change the opening hours was held up due to the impasse at Stormont.

Sure if you know where to go you'll get a wee lock in somewhere.

[Eamonnca1]

I'm surprised there aren't more atheists working on Sundays.

How many are working on Sundays now?

[J70]

Catholic Ireland about to relax the Easter drinking laws, pubs and clubs will now be allowed to open on Good Friday, I'm surprised that the 78% haven't kicked up a fuss!

I'm surprised there aren't more atheists working on Sundays.

Enjoying weekends off work is contingent on religious worldview?

[J70]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/04/09/god-save-ireland-from-the-catholic-church.html

Interesting article on the corrosive effect of the church on Irish society.

Even a wee paragraph just for Tony:

Today, Ireland is by and large a secular country, but official figures can be misleading.  According to the 2011 census, 84 percent of the Irish population declared themselves to be "Roman Catholic." But the census form makes no distinction between religious belief or practice and a sense of cultural belonging. Catholicism has been extremely powerful in shaping the identity of Irish citizens for hundreds of years, particularly as it stands in binary opposition to the state's old enemy: Protestant England. But cultural Catholics and practicing ones are two very different beasts.

Census figures from 2016, released just this past week show that 3.7 million people identified as Catholic (78%), 132,220 fewer than in 2011.
Furthermore, one in 10 Irish people from these latest findings now say they have no religion (468,421 people), a staggering 73.6% increase since 2011. This makes "no religion" the second largest group in this category behind Roman Catholics.

Another survey from 2011 revealed mass attendances in the nation's capital had fallen to as low as 14 percent a figure the Archbishop of Dublin, and  Primate of Ireland, Diarmuid Martin, described at the time as the "biggest crisis since [Catholic] emancipation in 1829."

[stew]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/04/09/god-save-ireland-from-the-catholic-church.html

Interesting article on the corrosive effect of the church on Irish society.

Even a wee paragraph just for Tony:

Today, Ireland is by and large a secular country, but official figures can be misleading.  According to the 2011 census, 84 percent of the Irish population declared themselves to be "Roman Catholic." But the census form makes no distinction between religious belief or practice and a sense of cultural belonging. Catholicism has been extremely powerful in shaping the identity of Irish citizens for hundreds of years, particularly as it stands in binary opposition to the state's old enemy: Protestant England. But cultural Catholics and practicing ones are two very different beasts.

Census figures from 2016, released just this past week show that 3.7 million people identified as Catholic (78%), 132,220 fewer than in 2011.
Furthermore, one in 10 Irish people from these latest findings now say they have no religion (468,421 people), a staggering 73.6% increase since 2011. This makes "no religion" the second largest group in this category behind Roman Catholics.

Another survey from 2011 revealed mass attendances in the nation's capital had fallen to as low as 14 percent a figure the Archbishop of Dublin, and  Primate of Ireland, Diarmuid Martin, described at the time as the "biggest crisis since [Catholic] emancipation in 1829."

You reap what you sow, the Catholic Church has protected paedophiles for centuries, f**k the Catholic Church, the sooner it sells its assets and feeds the poor people for the next thousand years the better!

[Eamonnca1]

You reap what you sow, the Catholic Church has protected paedophiles for centuries, f**k the Catholic Church, the sooner it sells its assets and feeds the poor people for the next thousand years the better!

Sells? Should be seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau!

[T Fearon]

Wishful thinking.All denominations have been afflicted by paedophilia.It was mismanaged in the past,but robust modern child protection policies will guard against this in the future.

78% of the people described themselves as Catholic of their own free will.This demonstrates at least some form of attachment,and provides a solid basis for revival and renewal.

[johnneycool]

Wishful thinking.All denominations have been afflicted by paedophilia.It was mismanaged in the past,but robust modern child protection policies will guard against this in the future.

Marie Collins isn't so sure Tony;

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/marie-collins-resigns-from-vatican-child-protection-body-1.2993428

[Owen Brannigan]

78% of the people described themselves as Catholic of their own free will.This demonstrates at least some form of attachment,and provides a solid basis for revival and renewal.

I don't believe there is any hope for a revival and renewal of the Catholic church as it is currently constituted in Ireland.  For the last century it has leaned on the work of the schools to ensure that children are prepared for its sacraments and then largely stood back in the belief that its authority in the country would be enough to enforce its fear driven catechism.  The authority has been totally undermined by the actions of the Church in dealing with those that broke the trust with the people.  While it still maintains a degree of control over its schools in both the North and South and the teachers continue to do their best in sacramental preparation and passing on the faith, parents of school going children for most part have a disconnect with the formal Church.  They will continue to have their children baptised and go along to first confession, first communion and confirmation as a catholic societal norm and not wanting their children to be highlighted if they (the parents) did not conform.  However, the basis to ensure the children build their faith on the sacraments is now almost completely eroded by parents not following up with attendance at Sunday Mass and confession.  Primary school teachers know that the vast majority children preparing sacraments are not attending Mass during sacramental preparation never mind into the future, hence, ,many parishes run 'in memory of me' Masses once per month to encourage children and families preparing for first communion to attend.  Teachers will tell you that many of the children in secondary schools only get to Mass when it is organised by the schools.

In this dire situation for the Church, what is being done?  Virtually nothing.  The disconnect between the Church and young parents and families continues to grow and there is no action at this time to remedy this situation.  Schools rarely have local priests visiting their pupils and if it was not for the work of teachers the faith would already have diminished below levels that would give hope of revival to even Tony Fearon.

So, why do so 'many' register as Catholic in the RoI?  For many it would be similar to them answering a question on whether they belong to or are have a connection to a sporting club or organisation, it is something that many have a connection to and perhaps even a vague loyalty to.  No doubt even more would have said they were Christian rather than Catholic.  People prefer to have an identity and such questions allow them to nail their colours to a mast.