The Irish Catholic Bishops have published a statement for General Election 2024 urging the faithful to be a “people of hope” as they discern how to vote.

The statement which includes questions for candidates has seven key takeaways: All eligible to vote should exercise their right to maximise the common good; Homelessness is unacceptable. The inability to acquire a home affects social cohesion and is a scandal; Politicians should lead by welcoming all immigrants who come with a willingness to contribute to our society to contribute to our society; The deliberate taking of human life undermines civilised society; Political parties must urgently address pollution, climate change and loss of biodiversity; The war in Gaza and the Middle East must stop now; Church-State structured dialogue is not functioning and in need of review

The attitudes of young men towards women are shifting to become more ‘traditionalist’ according to Women’s Aid, an anti-domestic violence charity, on the strength of a new survey.

The study – Evolving Manhood: Attitudes, Influence and Well-being among Irish Men – surveyed 500 men and 500 women.

It asked participants to say whether they agree or disagree with a variety of statements.

Two-in-five of the men surveyed identified themselves as “traditionalist”, and of that cohort, 70% believe that women’s issues are “exaggerated”.

A new report from the papal charity, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has detailed a continuing rise in religious persecution of Christians worldwide. The report had its Irish launch yesterday.

The report states that Islamism was responsible for an increase in all six African countries reviewed, indicating that “the epicentre of militant Islamist violence has shifted from the Middle East to Africa”. It goes on to explain: “Mass migration of Christian communities, triggered by militant Islamist attacks, has destabilised and disenfranchised them, raising questions about the long-term survival of the Church in key regions.”

Countries where persecution has increased include world powers such as China and India, as well as Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation.

For the first time, Nicaragua is featured in response to extreme oppressive measures, notably the mass detention and expulsion of clergy.

Recurring themes in the report include the displacement of Christian communities following attacks by extremist groups and the forced marriage and conversion of Christian women and girls.

Other highlights from the report include an upsurge in violent attacks on Christians in Pakistan triggered by blasphemy allegations and the detention of more than 850 people under anti-conversion laws in India.

The Archbishop of Dublin has offered a strong defence of the democratic process and urged all people to vote.

In a statement issued yesterday, Archbishop Dermot Farrell said voting matters “because it is how we hold our leaders to account and mandate what we believe to be important”.

“Voting also matters because all politicians are not the same: individual politicians, and political parties, differ in their values and beliefs, their ideas and priorities, their capabilities and judgement”.

While noting that Christians may differ legitimately in their political views and there is no obligation on Christians to support any particular party, nonetheless “there is a duty on every Christian to support the common good to the best of our ability”.

He added: “To vote is an exercise in hope, and hope is a mark of authentic Christian faith—the great gift of the Holy Spirit”.

He concluded: “Let us pray too that our society will vote into office leaders who will govern the people with integrity and wisdom and serve the common good with dedication and commitment”.

Archbishop Eamon Martin has called on Irish Catholics to stand in solidarity with Christians persecuted for their faith around the world ahead of ‘Red Wednesday’, which took place yesterday.

The Archbishop’s message comes as churches, cathedrals, and monuments across Ireland are illuminated in red as part of a week-long, ‘Week of Witness,’ organised by the papal charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).

Red is the traditional colour of martyrdom, symbolising the blood of Christian martyrs who have died for their faith.  The illumination of landmarks like Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh and the Basilica at the International Eucharistic and Marian Shrine in Knock, Co Mayo, will be part of the global campaign to raise awareness of the growing persecution faced by Christians in various parts of the world.

In his statement, Archbishop Martin emphasised the staggering global statistics on Christian persecution, citing Pope Francis’ recent reminder that one in seven Christians globally faces violence or discrimination due to their faith.

A bill championed by two opposition MPs to ensure babies who survive abortions receive appropriate medical care might be scuppered by a Green party Senator.

If a baby is born alive after an abortion, it is left to die without medical care. This also happens in Ireland.

Dr Joanna Howe, Professor of Law, Rhodes Scholar, has condemned the practice saying not even animals are treated that way. The Australian dairy industry used to routinely engage in the premature induction of calves, but for calves considered unlikely to survive, it was considered inhumane to leave them to die, so they were instead killed by blunt force trauma to the skull. Since 2015, the industry agreed to phase out the practice entirely, except for limited therapeutic reasons.

The Human Rights (Children Born Alive Protection) Bill, a private members bill of Senators Matt Canavan (National Party) and Alex Antic (Liberal Party) would change that grisly practice for human babies.

Greens Senator Larissa Waters however plans to move a procedural motion on 26 November to have the Canavan-Antic bill discharged from the Senate notice paper.

She claims this bill represents “a thinly veiled attack on women’s rights,” framing it as an issue of controlling women rather than protecting vulnerable lives.

The UK’s Education Secretary will vote against legalising ‘assisted dying’ when Parliament has its say next week, deepening a Cabinet split on the issue.

A Labour MP proposed the private members bill and it got the support of the party to be put to a vote on the floor of the Commons, even as Sir Keir Starmer said a whip would not apply and party members could ‘vote their conscience’.

Bridget Phillipson suggested there were not enough safeguards in the UK bill that will be debated and voted on by MPs on Nov 29. The bill has more safeguards than are recommended by the report of the Oireachtas Committee on ‘assisted dying’.

The UK version would facilitate terminally-ill adults with six months to live to legally take their own lives if supported by a High Court judge and two doctors.

Ms Phillipson is the fifth Cabinet minister expected to oppose the bill. Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, and Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister, are also set to vote against it.

Christmas party attendees have been urged to take precautions over the festive season amid a worrying surge in cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) across Ireland.

As public health records show continual increases in chlamydia, gonorrhoea, herpes, syphilis and HIV, HSE officials have urged people to take care of their sexual health with Christmas traditionally proving a time of high risk given increased alcohol and drug consumption.

The HSE directs people to, “not have any form of sex” if any sign of an infection, cuts or sores in the genital area appear, and advises getting tested for STIs even if no symptoms show.

It also advises that condoms “reduce”, not eliminate, the risk of getting an STI and it notes that some STIs are passed on merely by “skin-to-skin contact”.

Detections of STIs traditionally surge at Irish hospitals and clinics between January and April – with doctors directly linking the spike to increased end-of-year sexual activity.

In some cases, the rate of detection and treatment is doubled in February and March compared with the rest of the year.

Fine Gael will ensure that one of the most permissive surrogacy regimes anywhere will go into operation in Ireland as soon as they return to Government.

Critics say the practice exploits women and commodifies children.

Speaking at the launch of the party’s policy on children, Senator Mary Seery Kearney said, “in the first 100 days in Government, Fine Gael will ensure the commencement of the Assisted Human Reproduction Act. This will entitle families to go to the courts to get their much needed parental order. This is a commitment”.

In addition, the Senator said Fine Gael “will drive the establishment of the Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Authority, enabling all those future surrogacy journeys and also IVF funding”.

The Party has also included a commitment in its manifesto to “enact without delay supplementary legislation”.

As the United Kingdom debates legalizing assisted suicide, the bishops of England and Wales said “genuine compassion” is expressed through caring for people with terminal illness.

Labour MP Kim Leadbeater introduced the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill which would enable doctors to help terminally ill adults with six months to live to kill themselves.

The English and Welsh bishops have responded that “genuine compassion is under threat”.

“‘Compassion’ means to enter into and share the suffering of another person. It means never giving up on anyone or abandoning them. It means loving them to the natural end of their life, even if and when they struggle to find meaning and purpose,” the bishops’ statement says.

“Compassion means accompanying people, especially during sickness, disability, and old age. This kind of genuine compassion is witnessed through the care and respect we show to people with terminal illness as they complete their journey in this life,” they continue.

“Life is a gift to be protected, especially when threatened by sickness and death,” the bishops say.