In a blow to people of faith in the workplace in Britain, a National Health Service therapist who was disciplined for giving a Christian text to a Muslim colleague has lost her appeal against the sanction handed down for her action. A judge hearing the appeal brought by practising Christian Victoria Wasteney ruled that the NHS had acted appropriately.
Calls have been made in the Dáil for an end to the traditional prayer which begins every sitting of the chamber.
As work towards Dáil reform and the establishment of a new Government continues, TD Paul Murphy of the Anti-Austerity Alliance and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan led calls for the scrapping of the prayer to be part of that reform process. Deputy Murphy said the prayer demonstrated that “we don’t have a separation of church and state in this country”.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) has revealed it has received a record volume of responses from parents and teachers in its consultation process on plans to introduce of religion classes in primary schools. The classes, set to focus on all major forms of religion and secular views, have the NCCA said, led to fears of “curriculum overload”.
A major study in the United States has found that adult stem cells have the potential to halve the rate of deaths from heart failure. Doctors utilising such cells have already proved that they can repair damaged hearts in patients supplying the stem cells. The findings boost the cause of scientists who have long argued that adult stem cells are a viable alternative to the controversial use of embryonic stem cells.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York has said that “the major and most urgent mandate for the Church is to reclaim the beauty and nobility of the sacrament of marriage and family life”. The Cardinal made his comment during an interview just days ahead of the release of Pope Francis’ encyclical on the family.
A majority of people in Scotland now declare they belong to no particular religion, according to a new poll. Conducted among 1,288 people, the Scottish Social Attitudes Study reveals that 52% of Scots have no religious affiliation, a 12% rise in 16 years. Meanwhile, just 20% of people say they belong to the once-dominant Church of Scotland.
As the Northern Ireland Catholic Council on Social Affairs (NICCOSA) held its first meeting with political figures in Northern Ireland, the Primate of All Ireland, Archbishop Eamon Martin urged the region’s Assembly to protect religious freedom by giving “focused attention to the importance of respect for freedom of religion and conscience as a fundamental pillar of a genuinely free, diverse and democratic society.”
A European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) has been launched towards defending the family and marriage as between one man and one woman across the continent. The move is backed by Christian Concern and other pro-marriage groups. An ECI is “an invitation to the European Commission to propose legislation on matters where the EU has competence to legislate” and must be backed by a minimum of one million people across at least seven member states, with a minimum number of signatories required in each member state.
