A big victory for the rights of parents

 

The right of parents to choose how to educate their children has been upheld by the Supreme Court in a major ruling published on Monday. It unanimously dismissed the appeal of the Minister of Education against two home-schooled students who were excluded from the Leaving Cert calculated grades scheme. Their exclusion interfered with the constitutional freedom of their families to educate them at home, the Court said. It confirms the constitutional position that the power of the State to decide how children should be educated is limited and takes second place to parents.

In May 2020, the Government decided to postpone the holding of Leaving Certificate Examination, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Then the Department of Education substituted written and oral exams with teacher assessed calculated grades, but this new scheme did not include home-schooled children. The parents being also at the same time the assessing teachers would fall foul of the conflict of interest in the scheme, the Department of Education claimed.

Two students from different home-schooling families appealed against this decision as the Department of Education did not provide an alternative route whereby they could receive the estimated marks.

They could have sat the Leaving Certificate exam later in November 2020 but that would have delayed by a year their progress into a third level course and so damage their study and future careers.

Both the High Court and the Court of Appeal held that the exclusion from the scheme was contrary to the law, but the State appealed against both rulings.

On Monday, the Supreme Court dismissed the State’s appeal and ruled that the departmental scheme was invalid as it disregarded the rights of the home-schooled under the Constitution.

Bunreacht na hÉireann recognises that the family is the “primary and natural educator of the child”, and the State is required “to respect the inalienable right and duty of parents to provide …  for the religious and moral, intellectual, physical and social education of their children.” (Article 42.1)

The exclusion of the two students from the calculated grades scheme imposed a burden on them. This represented a significant and substantial interference with the express right of parents to provide education in the home, and the derived right of children to receive it, wrote Justice O’Donnell.

In a concurring judgement, Justice Charleton clarified that the Government made no decision to exceed constitutional limits. It was the Department of Education that, through the teacher assessed calculated grades, interfered with home-schooling by not providing an alternative avenue of assessment and so, leaving those students with no possibility to advance to college.

Those two students were not treated equally by the Department of Education. The constitutional right of parents to home-school children would have been lost if they could not compete at some level for university courses, as every other student attending state schools can.

Yesterday’s rule reaffirmed and vindicated the constitutional right of parents to provide education outside a school setting. It is a victory for families, and it has to be warmly celebrated.

Finally, we have to wonder why the State pursued the case all the way to the Supreme Court. Is it anxious to expand the right of the State to rule in certain areas by executive diktat?

Ruth Ferguson obituary: Enthusiastic curator of Newman House

Ruth Ferguson, the well-known expert on art and architecture and curator of Newman House, St Stephen’s Green for over 15 years, died on Christmas Day, 2021. Famous for her guided tours of Numbers 85 and 86 St Stephen’s Green, Ferguson would regale audiences with stories of Cardinal John Henry Newman (the founder of University College Dublin, the precursor of which , the Catholic University, was in these buildings on St Stephen’s Green from 1854); later Jesuit professors including poet, Gerard Manley Hopkins; and notorious students from James Joyce to Flann O’Brien. Visitors to Newman House would also bear witness to her encyclopaedic knowledge and immense enthusiasm for the buildings themselves, which were constructed in 1738 and 1765 respectively. Number 85 was the first stone-faced house built on the Green and was designed for Hugh Montgomery by Richard Castle (also the architect of Leinster House). Number 86 – one of the largest buildings on the Green – was built for Richard Whaley. Whaley later linked the two buildings together with a secret stairs from the upper hall in 85 to what later became the Bishops’ Room in 86 – which was one of the treasures that Ferguson liked to reveal to visitors. The preservation and promotion of Newman House as a centre of cultural and academic activities was central to Ferguson’s role as curator. Yet, this did not prevent her from tackling the practical and sometimes daunting demands of maintaining a building of such historic importance. Nothing deterred her – whether it was clambering over the roof of No 85 to unblock a leaking gutter or investigating water ingress or animal intrusions within the bowels of the building complex. In May 2007, when the last medical and engineering students made the journey from Earlsfort Terrace to Belfield, Ferguson was one of the team organising the “Farewell to the Terrace” to mark this historic transition. When 5,000 people registered for what was expected to attract 200 people, the Farewell was transformed into a week-long festival that included reunions, talks and tours, a large garden party in the Iveagh Gardens, debates between the students and the “oldies”, and a special performance of Bach’s Mass in B Minor in University Church. Ferguson – with her typical panache – hosted a very, very long post-event lunch in the garden of Newman House. Cultural evolution Ferguson cherished the past of Newman House but she also believed that it should evolve continuously. So, when plans for the Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI) began over a decade ago, she was a vital force whose ability to make things elegant with the lightest touch encouraged others to aim for excellence. Many elements of MoLI reveal her distinctive imagination at work; for example, it was she who gave the immersive “riverrun of language” installation its name and creative energy. As she noted at the time, “MoLI makes the perfect bedfellow to the historic fabric of nos. 85 and 86. The museum gives new life to the vision and tradition of Dr J H Newman who wrote in The Idea of a University (1852): ‘ The central aim of a university is to give those who pass through it true enlargement of mind’. I know that MoLI will be truly mind-expanding!” In recognition of her deep knowledge of Cardinal Newman and his importance in Irish education, the Oratorian Community extended a personal invitation to Ruth and to her mother, Monica, to attend the canonisation of John Henry Newman at St Peter’s Basilica in Rome in October 2019. Much to her delight, she was seated on the dais overlooking St Peter’s Square with other eminent dignitaries. In her early years at Newman House, Ferguson helped set up the J H Newman Bequest Library. This scholarly collection grew into a centre for research on Newman and evolved into the UCD Newman Centre for the Study of Religions based in the UCD school of philosophy. Ferguson’s infectious enthusiasm made its way across UCD and onto Belfield campus. She was a founder member of the Visual Arts Committee in the late 1990s and spearheaded the acquisition of the modest but inspiring collection of new works for the halls and corridors of the buildings across the campus. Later, when the emphasis shifted outdoors, she was central to the creation of the UCD Sculpture Trail in 2008. Talent for exhibitions Ruth Ferguson grew up one of three children in north Dublin. She was educated with the Loreto nuns in North Great Georges Street before going to UCD to study history of art and archaeology. During her undergraduate studies, she worked as an assistant education and press officer at the National Gallery of Ireland where she demonstrated her talent for exhibitions, events and communications. Following her graduation in 1988, she moved to work at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham (RHK) where she became head guide and liaison with production companies who used the building as a film location. Later, as exhibitions officer for the RHK, she selected and curated exhibitions. She was appointed assistant curator for the newly established Irish Museum of Modern Art in 1991 and thereafter her role and reputation expanded across the world of art, heritage and culture. In 1995, University College Dublin appointed her curator to the newly restored Newman House. And, in 2002, she completed a masters in Palladio and Palladian art and architecture at UCD. Ferguson never stopped being enthusiastic. And when ill-health meant she could no longer tear along with her laughter pealing ahead and her auburn hair flowing behind, she was still contributing to “Making Belfield”, the publication marking the past 50 years of UCD on Belfield campus. And she was, as always, charming, obliging, efficient and cheerful with a great sense of humour. Ferguson loved colour, especially yellow as portrayed in Van Gogh’s sunflowers at Arles. The front door of the family home which she shared with her mother, Monica, was yellow, and the plants and flowers in her garden were yellow. Ruth and Monica had an extraordinarily deep bond and their home in Belton Park in north Dublin was a treasure-trove of art and literature as well as quirky style and generous hospitality. They were known for their glamour and elegance and enjoyed travelling together, especially to cities where Ruth would be as much a guide as a tourist. Monica died in April 2021. Ruth is survived by her siblings, Susan and Nick, nieces Sive and Genevieve, and nephew Sonny.

In Austria pharmacies are now allowed to sell suicide drugs

 

The ‘culture of death’ continues to tighten its grip on Europe. In Austria, a law that went into effect on January 1 allows not simply those who are terminally ill to avail of assisted suicide, but also the chronically sick. In a particularly grisly twist, pharmacies are now authorised to give lethal drugs to those who have been cleared by doctors as candidates for assisted suicide.

Usually assisted suicide takes place in hospitals or nursing homes, with the assistance of health professionals.  In Austria, the poison can be taken home from the chemist and administered by a member of the family or a friend.

The new legislation follows a 2020 ruling of the Constitutional Court that lifted a ban on assisted suicide on the grounds that it violated the right to self-determination. If someone wishes to kill themselves, but can’t perform the self-killing act, he or she should be entitled to get assistance from a third person, according to the Court.

As per the new law, patients who want to be helped in killing themselves must get the approval of two doctors who will ascertain their condition and their will. The doctors don’t have to be clinical psychologists or psychiatrists, but they have to inform the patient of alternatives and one of them must be a specialist in palliative care.

After a waiting period of two weeks for patients expected to die within 6 months, or 12 weeks for non-terminal patients, a lawyer or a notary must be informed and then the patient can buy the lethal substance (sodium pentobarbital) in a designated pharmacy.

There are no limits as to when the lethal substance has to be consumed or returned. There is only a limit (1 year) on the duration of the “permit” which enables someone to acquire a lethal substance.

The law allows a third person to help the suicidal patients in carrying out their intent. The third person will actively administer the prescribed lethal poison.

The names of the pharmacies selling lethal drugs will not be made public and will only be known to the lawyer or the notary. The law also bans advertising and profiteering from suicide services.

Minors and people suffering from mental illness will not qualify to access assisted suicide.

Some of these limitations are likely to be removed, soon or later, as it has happened in other countries that initially have introduce euthanasia or assisted suicide on some limited grounds, and then have expanded them. Belgium and the Netherlands spring to mind.

This new Austrian legislation is based on the assumption that suicide should not only be permitted but also facilitated in certain circumstances. The state should remove any obstacle to ‘self-determination’, even when our choices are lethal. As with abortion, it is “my body, my choice” that counts and nothing else.

Once absolute and irresponsible autonomy becomes normative, there is no principled reason why the “right to suicide” should be denied to those who are not suffering from a medical condition.

Pro-euthanasia organisations such as Exit International already campaign for assisted suicide to be made available to every competent adult.  The Austrian legislation is a big step in that direction.

Other groups in Austria are now calling for active euthanasia, i.e. the right to be killed by a doctor on request.

Crisi demografica, crisi dell’Occidente

Espressione felice, coniata dal padre gesuita belga Michel Schooyans, per definire una realtà cupa, l’«inverno demografico» gela l’Italia e non solo in un immobilismo che sgomenta e preoccupa chi lo consideri con serietà e libertà rispetto ai pregiudizi neo-malthusiani diffusi e comuni.

È stato questo l’argomento di una tavola rotonda online che si è tenuta domenica sera sul canale YouTube di Cultura in pillole, una rassegna di brevi video partita poco più di un anno fa in cui un gruppo di professionisti, esperti ognuno nel proprio ambito, propongono riflessioni a proposito di teologia, storia, economia, bioetica, antropologia, filosofia, attualità.

Moderati da Dino Furgione, missionario ed ex manager, domenica si sono incontrati in video Rachele Sagramoso, Angelo Bottone, Maurizio Milano e Nicola Speranza, per trattare l’argomento della denatalità grave cui siamo assistendo ciascuno dalla propria specifica prospettiva, tutti accomunati però da quello che Milano ha definito correttamente un punto di vista «squisitamente laico».

Proprio Milano, analista finanziario, ha dato il via alla discussione sottolineando come tanto lo sviluppo sostenibile nella prospettiva di Agenda 2030 quanto i famigerati «diritti sessuali e riproduttivi», l’altro nome della contraccezione e dell’aborto, siano permeati da una visione ostile alla famiglia e alla vita che non può che dare luogo a una «società distopica di figli unici», in cui il problema demografico è sì al centro della discussione, ma in direzione del tutto contraria a quello che il pensiero mainstream vuole far credere. Nell’Occidente benestante e sazio non si è in troppi, bensì si è troppo pochi, e le cifre precipitano vertiginosamente, caricando sulle spalle di lavoratori sempre meno numerosi un fardello di spese sempre più pesante, con una preoccupante contrazione della classe media.

Se ne sono accorti persino in Cina, come «iFamNews» ha più volte raccontato, se il governo di regime neo-post-maoista-comunista cerca di correre ai ripari dei danni di una popolazione che non cresce più rivedendo da alcuni anni la politica del figlio unico che nel passato ha generato milioni di aborti e sterilizzazioni forzate. Lo fa da par suo, in modo dispotico e violento, infilandosi nelle famiglie e sotto le lenzuola, penalizzando e perseguitando come sempre le minoranze etniche e religiose. Però si è reso conto dello sfacelo provocato dalla penuria di nascite.

L’Occidente ancora no, e anzi considera i bambini uno sfregio egoista al Pianeta. Lo conferma Angelo Bottone, docente e ricercatore nello Iona Institute di Dublino, citando i dati forniti dall’Ufficio nazionale di Statistica del Regno Unito che, se prima prevedeva per il 2043 il saldo in negativo fra i nuovi nati e i decessi, ora lo ha anticipato al 2025. Bottone sottolinea inoltre come in Irlanda, negli ultimi 25 anni, la mentalità così detta pro-choice, improntata all’autodeterminazione, abbia fatto una corsa a rotta di collo verso il baratro. Il percorso legislativo dell’aborto e del divorzio, sempre più relativista e possibilista, ha portato a un crollo del tasso di natalità da 14 nel 2000 a 9,2 del 2021. Era 23, nel 1975. I motivi, o meglio i macro-fattori che possono aver dato luogo a tale caduta a precipizio, secondo Bottone? La rapida crescita economica della cosiddetta Tigre celtica, fra il 1994 e il 2007, e insieme la crisi della Chiesa Cattolica irlandese.

Resta comunque un fatto incontrovertibile: i figli non sono più considerati una ricchezza, bensì un costo e un peso, e l’equilibrio fra le generazioni è in frantumi. In questa che è possibile definire una crisi di civiltà, allora, non stupisce che la deriva eutanasica, in Irlanda, come in Italia, come altrove, prenda piede sempre più. Gli anziani diventano un problema, la popolazione di lavoratori attivi diminuisce, è sempre più semplice che passi il messaggio per cui sarebbe più dignitoso e pietoso sopprimere i vecchi.

Gli fa eco, dal proprio peculiare punto di vista, Rachele Sagramoso, ostetrica e mamma di sette figli. Come ha fatto spesso dalle colonne virtuali di «iFamNews», la Sagramoso ha sottolineato come in Italia viga ormai da tempo una «cultura anti-bambino» che porta le donne a posticipare sempre più la prima, spesso unica, gravidanza, a ricorrere con disinvoltura estrema alla contraccezione, a considerare l’aborto una opzione come un’altra. Salvo poi rivolgersi alla procreazione medicalmente assistita quando con l’età la fertilità rischia di diminuire drasticamente. Si chiede allora, da ostetrica e da madre, «se alle donne interessi diventare madri», non volendo credere all’effettiva ineluttabilità dell’aspetto economico. Se così fosse, infatti, le donne più abbienti metterebbero al mondo più figli, cosa che invece non accade. «Fare la madre è faticoso», per donne sempre più spesso sole, senza il supporto anche emotivo della famiglia d’origine, condotte per mano persino dalle ostetriche a considerare la gravidanza, se non una malattia, almeno un disturbo.

È Nicola Speranza, segretario generale della Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe (FAFCE) con sede a Bruxelles, a sottolineare quanta importanza rivestano Stati e governi per contrastare il calo demografico in atto. Lo fa evidenziando come le politiche di sostegno alle famiglie, che riconoscono alle famiglie medesime un ruolo sociale, che spostano ciò che ostacola le coppie, funzionano. Funzionano, però, a lungo termine in positivo, ma velocemente in negativo. Porta gli esempi virtuosi, Speranza, della Polonia e dell’Ungheria, dove il trend demografico negativo è stato addirittura invertito da una politica integrale e completa, basata sul principio di sussidiarietà e su una vera e propria cultura della famiglia. Perché è la famiglia, in realtà, che sostiene il Paese, non viceversa.

I partecipanti alla serata si sono trovati d’accordo nell’affermare che è la crisi demografica a determinare quella economica, contrariamente a quanto di solito si vorrebbe far credere. È sconfortante però, chiosa Milano con una battuta amara, che «a parlare di inverno demografico ci siano solamente, con tutto il rispetto, Blangiardo e il Papa».

Tavola rotonda: Inverno demografico...perchè?

 

Ho partecipato a questo evento organizzato da Cultura in Pillole.

Dave Brubeck Quartet & RNO - To Hope! A Celebration. Mass Moscow 1997

The female victims of anti-Christian persecution

In many countries, Christian women and girls suffer abduction, rape, forced conversion and forced marriage, according to a new report. But social stigma and fear of reprisal from perpetrators keep their stories mostly unheard.

The “Hear her cries: Kidnapping, forced conversion and sexual victimization of Christian women and girls” report addresses the appalling problem of women being targeted for sexual violence because of their religious belief.

The document has been produced by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), a charity that helps persecuted Christians, and it offers some case studies from Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Mozambique, Nigeria and Pakistan.

In countries where they are already a minority, Christian women are coerced to convert so that their children are claimed for the new faith too. ISIS fighters, for instance, forced pregnancies and conversions to secure the next generation of jihadists in Syria.

In Nigeria, the Boko Haram group uses violence against women to trigger the mass movement of unwanted Christians from some areas of the country.

Research suggests that Christians make up 95pc of females held by Islamist extremists in Nigeria.

Cases involving women persecuted for religious reasons are chronically under-reported for fear of casting shame on the victims and their families, according to the ACN document

Besides social stigma, dread of reprisal from perpetrators is another key factor why those incidents are often kept quiet. Families, chilled by fear of more violence, tend not to speak about their sufferings.

Another reason for low reporting level is institutional resistance. In Pakistan, for instance, the police and the court system are frequently colluding with the perpetrators, according to the report.

One of the cases presented is about Farah Shaheen, a Christian girl who was abducted at the age of 12, forced into marriage and kept in chains as a slave. When her father reported the kidnap, the police refused to listen and to register the incident. Medical experts from the court claimed that the girl was old enough to legally marry, dismissing her birth certificate that showed she was 12 when abducted.

Research indicates that in Pakistan, Christians could comprise up to 70pc of women and girls forcibly converted and married.

“Perpetrators know their chances of punishment are reduced if they confine their attack to minority faith communities”, the report notes.

Institutions reflect the cultural and religious norms of the majority and even in countries with secular legislation, other codes of practice informed by the religious precept of the prevailing faith, trump the official law. The court and the judicial systems are biased against Christians.

“It is very difficult being a Christian girl in our country. So often our girls are abducted and the deprived things they suffer are too awful to imagine. It is so frightening. Who is there to help us?” says of the victims interviewed for the report, who asked to remain anonymous. Their stories need to be heard. We need to hear their cries.

 (The “Hear our cries” report can use downloaded here https://acnuk.org/hear-her-cries-report/ A printed version can be requested to Aid to the Church in Need Ireland Aid to the Church in Need Ireland | ACN Ireland )

The countries requiring vaccine passport to attend worship

During the pandemic, Ireland prevented worshippers attending religious services longer than any other country in Europe, but at least we haven’t gone so far as to force people to show vaccine passports before attending. Some countries have imposed this requirement, and shockingly, Church authorities are sometimes willing to comply.

In Quebec, for example, the provincial government has enforced a vaccine passport system on all places of worship. Congregants aged 14 to 75 must show proof of vaccination to attend services indoor.

The religious authorities were not consulted before the Government announced its decision.

Some lay faithful organised a prayer vigil to defend religious freedom but the local Catholic bishops, representing the largest Christian denomination in the province, made no objection to the decision.

Cardinal Lacroix, bishop of the archdiocese of Quebec, even voluntarily and unilaterally closed all churches from 23rd December to 10th January as a “strong gesture of solidarity with vulnerable people as well as with the staff of the entire health network and all those who help fight the pandemic.”

This is despite Quebec having a lower number of Covid cases per 100,000 people than Ireland.

From New Year’s Eve the Quebec government has prohibited any indoor social gathering or public worship service, except for funerals. All churches and other religious venues are now closed indefinitely.

The Bishop of Pembroke, Guy Desrochers, wrote a letter just before Christmas, criticising the Quebecois government: “I seriously wonder whether the line between what the State can and cannot dictate to the various religious communities has been crossed with this obligation to present vaccination passports at the entrance to our churches. … Dare to challenge your government representatives to change this latest law which in fact oversteps their role and duty in our society. “ (The diocese of Pembroke is in the province of Ontario, not Quebec).

In Europe, some countries have worship restrictions based on vaccination status.

Luxembourg, for example, requires a vaccination passport when more than 20 are attending an indoor religious gathering. Some priests have protested but Cardinal Hollerich, archbishop of Luxembourg and president of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union, has defended the government rule.

“During this phase when the pandemic is resurgent, we must save lives, and this green pass should welcome people to Mass, … Some priests have objected, and this isn’t helping the search for a solution”, he said.

Similar measures are in places in other parts of Europe, but the number of people permitted to attend without a pass varies: it is 30 in Slovakia, 50 in Switzerland, 100 in Denmark and Sweden.

In Iceland, for religious events with more than 50 participants a negative rapid antigen is required. A negative test result is also obligatory for weddings and Christenings in Portugal.

In New Zealand, they now have a “traffic light” system  – green, orange and red – based on the severity of the infection.

Under the red setting, a maximum of 100 people can gather in place of worship, but they must show a vaccine pass. A maximum of 25 people can worship together without showing a vaccine passport.

There has been no pushback from Catholic bishops, but the system has been criticised by some protestant leaders.

“This is something that would be unacceptable from the perspective of the Church, and indeed it would be a contradiction of the message of the Gospel. The thought that someone would be barred from coming to church to hear the gospel is abhorrent.”, said a spokesman for Christian Voice New Zealand.

The six Catholic bishops have set guidelines asking parishes to organise Masses for the vaccinated only but also, where possible, opportunities for people without a pass. It is a two-tier system that favours those who have a pass but does not exclude the others completely.

Religious leaders tend to not object to civil authorities but it is difficult to find a compelling reason for a system granting access to churches based on vaccination status. Churches have proven very safe places to be so long as social distancing and other measures are properly observed.

Making vaccine passports a condition to attend public worship is an unacceptable breach of Church/State separation and it is something no religious leaders should tolerate.

 

Podcast: Ireland is experiencing a demographic catastrophe

 

Angelo Bottone · Ireland is experiencing a demographic catastrophe

Ruth Ferguson 29 January 1963 – 25 December 2021

 

Ruth Ferguson will forever be remembered as the custodian of Newman House, Nos. 85 and 86 St Stephen’s Green where she was curator since 1995.

Originally educated by the Loreto nuns in North Great Georges St, she went to UCD to study History of Art and Archaeology. Her undergraduate studies were interspersed with working as an assistant education and press officer at the National Gallery of Ireland where she demonstrated her talent for exhibitions, events and communication.  She moved on to the Royal Hospital Kilmainham where she became head guide and liaison with production companies who used the building as a film location. As exhibitions officer for the RHK she began to select and curate exhibitions. She was appointed assistant curator for the newly established Irish Museum of Modern Art in 1991 and began to stretch her reputation across the world of art, heritage and culture. 

In 1995, University College Dublin appointed her curator to the newly restored Newman House. The original home of the Catholic University, the precursor of UCD, Newman House is named in honour of St John Henry, who came to Dublin in 1852 on the invitation of Cardinal Cullen to establish a university for the emerging Catholic middle class. 

Although Ruth would regale an audience with stories of Newman, the later Jesuit professors, including poet Gerard Manley Hopkins, and notorious students from James Joyce to Flann O’Brien, it was when she turned to the building itself that her encyclopaedic knowledge and immense enthusiasm poured forth.  Indeed, her Masters was in Palladio and Palladianism art and architecture. 

No. 85 St Stephens Green, built in 1738, hosts the splendid late baroque stuccowork of the Lafranchini brothers. Designed by Richard Castle, the architect of Leinster House, its saloon is possibly one of the most beautiful rooms in Dublin.

No. 86, was built in 1765 for Richard Whaley, whose own reputation for anti-Catholic fervour alongside that of his disreputable son ‘Buck’ Thomas would seem incongruous to the later occupants of the house. Regardless, the house itself is a rococo marvel, with the plasterwork executed by Dubliner Robert West.  Whaley tied the two houses together and the ‘secret’ stairs from the upper hall in 85 to the Bishops’ Room in 86 is one of the treasures Ruth liked to reveal to visitors. 

Through her welcome and custodianship, visitors experienced Newman House’s own embracing atmosphere, and Ruth embodied the best of all the lives that have been lived there over the centuries. What a joy it was too to discover those centuries on one of her richly rewarding house tours, the depth and breadth of her knowledge delivered with an exuberance that swept you up in shared excitement and enjoyment.  

Though the preservation and promotion of Newman House as a centre of cultural and academic activity was foremost in her mind, this did not deflect Ruth from tackling the practical and daunting demands of maintaining a building of such historic importance. Nothing deterred her, whether it was clambering over the roof of No. 85 to unblock a leaking gutter or investigating rain or animal intrusions within the bowels of the building complex.

In May 2007, when the last medical and engineering students made the journey from Earlsfort Terrace to Belfield, Ruth was one of the team organising the “Farewell to the Terrace” festival marking this historic transition. After a week of reunions, talks and tours, the first garden party in the Iveagh Gardens for 5,000 graduates, debates between the students and the ‘oldies’, and a special performance of Bach’s Mass in B Minor in University Church, Ruth – with her typical elegance and style – hosted a very, very long post-event lunch for the team where we laughed til we cried.

Ruth cherished the past of Newman House but believed that it was a living building that should evolve continuously. So, when plans for the Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI) began over a decade ago, Ruth was a vital and generous force whose ability to make things elegant with the lightest touch encouraged others to aim for excellence. Many elements of the Museum reveal her distinctive imagination at work; for example, it was she who gave the immersive ‘riverrun of language’ installation its name and creative energy.

As she noted at the time, “MoLI makes the perfect bedfellow to the historic fabric of nos. 85 and 86. The museum gives new life to the vision and tradition of Dr J H Newman, the founding rector of the Catholic University of Ireland, who wrote in The Idea of a University (1852): ‘ The central aim of a university is to give those who pass through it true enlargement of mind’. I know that MoLI will be truly mind expanding!”

In recognition of her deep knowledge of Cardinal Newman and his importance in Irish education, the Oratorian Community extended a personal invitation to Ruth and to her mother Monica, to attend the canonisation of Cardinal Newman at St Peter’s Basilica in October 2019. Much to her delight, she was seated on the dais overlooking St Peter’s Square with the other eminent dignitaries.

In her early years at Newman House, Ruth helped set up the ‘J H Newman Bequest Library’.  This scholarly collection grew into a centre for research on Newman and has now evolved into the UCD Newman Centre for the Study of Religions based in the UCD School of Philosophy.

Ruth’s infectious enthusiasm wafted across UCD and onto Belfield campus. She was a founder member of the Visual Arts Committee set up to oversee the position of art in the University and spearheaded the acquisition of the modest but inspiring collection of new works for the halls and corridors of the buildings across the campus. Later, when the emphasis shifted outdoors, she was central to the creation of the UCD Sculpture Trail – which has given particular pleasure during the past two years as people discovered the pleasure of walking outdoors. 

Ruth never stopped being enthusiastic.  And when her ill health meant she could no longer tear along with her laughter pealing ahead and her auburn hair flowing behind, she was still contributing to ‘Making Belfield’, the publication marking the past fifty years of UCD on Belfield campus. And she was, as always, charming, obliging, efficient and cheerful with a great sense of humour. 

Ruth loved colour, especially yellow as portrayed in Van Gogh’s sunflowers at Arles. Her front door was yellow, and the plants and flowers in her garden were yellow. It somehow reflected Ruth’s sunny disposition.

Ruth is survived by her siblings, Susan and Nick, brother-in-law Kevin, sister-in-law Ethna, nieces Sive and Genevieve, and nephew Sonny.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam dilís

Steve Vai - Little Pretty

The deadly inaccuracy of many prenatal tests

Prenatal tests are a vital part of the thriving eugenics industry whereby unborn children with genetic defects are not considered fit for life and are aborted instead. But a report in The New York Times (not a pro-life paper) confirms that the tests for certain foetal abnormalities are often unreliable as they give too many false positive results.

Even if advertised as highly accurate, for some conditions positive test results were incorrect more than 90pc of the time.

We highlighted the problem of the inaccuracy of foetal tests in a previous blog three years ago.

Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) is used to screen the probability that chromosomal abnormalities, such as Down Syndrome, are present. These tests are now offered for more and more conditions. A positive screening test should be followed by a diagnostic test, to confirm the presence of the abnormal condition. Unfortunately, many do not wait for the follow-up test and abort their babies, not knowing that those screening tests are often wrong, as the New York Times article showed. With rare conditions, the probability of mistakes grows.

In Ireland we saw the tragic case of a baby who was aborted in Holles Street National Maternity Hospital at 19 weeks after his parents were incorrectly told that he suffered from Edwards Syndrome, a condition that is usually fatal. 

But this is not a one-off case. It is likely that many healthy babies are aborted on the false presumption that they are disabled or will not live long after birth.

 

Ten of the 17 brochures given to parents by prenatal tests services and reviewed by the New York Times never mention that a false positive can occur and only one mentioned how often positive results are wrong.

 

The newspaper looked at five conditions, namely DiGeorge Syndrome, 1p36 Deletion, Cri-du-chat Syndrome, Wolf Hirschhorn Syndrome and Prader-Willie and Angelman Syndromes, and found the prenatal tests are wrong almost all the time (81pc, 89pc, 80pc, 86pc and 93pc respectively). This is appalling.

In 2019, the UK Advertising Standard Authority ruled that the ads promoting prenatal screening tests were misleading. For instance, out of 100 tests indicating the presence of Edwards Syndrome, only 37 were correct. Still, the tests were presented as 99pc accurate because if the condition is present, it is detected 99pc of the times. Accurate does not mean correct because often the test mistakenly says it is present. (For a more detailed account see here: https://ionainstitute.ie/the-inaccurate-accurate-tests-for-foetal-abnormalities/ )

In simple words, those tests are oversensitive as they tend to err on the side of false positives.

Oversensitive NIPT would not be a problem in a society that does not kill those suffering of abnormal conditions. The tests should be used to prepare families and doctors to welcome the newborns and care for them according to their special needs. Moreover, decisions should be made once the diagnosis confirms the screening results.

But oversensitive tests are morally problematic in our society, where abortion is the default outcome of positive testing results. Many do not even wait for the follow-up diagnostic test.

In Ireland, there is no gestational time limit for abortions when the baby is not expected to live longer than 28 days and now campaigners want to extend this possibility also to non-fatal abnormalities. This would only increase the probability that healthy babies are aborted.

 

Even the most ardent pro-choice campaigners should want everyone told about the literally deadly inaccuracy of many of these tests. 

—-

Photo by Testalize.me on Unsplash

Video: Ireland is experiencing a demographic catastrophe

 Ecco a voi il mio primo video dell'anno

I Re magi

I RE MAGI di Gabriele D'Annunzio Una luce vermiglia risplende nella pia notte e si spande via per miglia e miglia e miglia. Oh nova meraviglia! Oh fiore di Maria! Passa la melodia e la terra si ingiglia. Cantano tra le fischiare del vento per le forre, I biondi angeli in coro; Ed ecco Baldassarre, Gaspare e Melchiorre con mirra, incenso e oro.

An important voice is raised up against Assisted Suicide

The College of Psychiatrists in Ireland has come out strongly against the proposal to legalise Physician Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia (PAS-E).

In a new paper released just before Christmas, they say it is “contrary to the efforts of psychiatrists, other mental health staff and the public to prevent deaths by suicide.” It will place vulnerable people at risk, as they will fear of being a burden and, once introduced for limited cases, it will be applied broadly to other groups.

Following other medical bodies that have argued along same lines, the Irish psychiatrists state that “the introduction of assisted dying represents a radical change in Irish law and a long-standing tradition of medical practice, as exemplified in the prohibition of deliberate killing in the Irish Medical Council ethics guidelines”.

In a clear and detailed way, the College of Psychiatrists presents a strong case against PAS-E. They refer to specific scientific studies proving that the introduction of medically-induced death has a contagion effect because it normalises suicide and, as a consequence, leads to higher overall suicide rates in the population.

PAS-E weakens suicide prevention initiatives and impacts negatively on those who are psychologically vulnerable, they say.

“At a time where there is public concern regarding mental health and suicide to a greater degree than ever before, the introduction of PAS-E undermines the valuable work done in addressing the causes of suicidality“, they write.

Once the State recognises a “right to die”, which means a “right to be killed”, those who work daily to relieve psychological suffering, on the assumption that suicide is never a solution, will feel that they should not interfere with somebody’s personal autonomy. Their role changes dramatically.

Fear of loss, fear of pain and fear of the unknown are common causes of distress to patients experiencing terminal illness and their families. Psychiatric issues are also common. According to sources cited in the document, depression is the strongest determinant of desire for death in serious or terminally ill patients. “The prevalence of depression among terminally ill patients with a desire for death is eight times higher than in those without a significant desire for death”.

Appropriate treatment is the best way to address depression and fear, but the availability of euthanasia creates the risk that many people will die from treatable psychological distress and mental illness, the document says. There is evidence that in countries where PAS-E is legal, the number of people with psychiatric disorders who request euthanasia has increased. Some jurisdictions already permit PAS-E for personality disorders and other psychiatric conditions.

International evidence shows that euthanasia safeguards and controls are regularly flouted, the position paper highlights. The slippery slope is real. In the Netherlands, for instance, “the grounds for euthanasia are shifting from relief of suffering to autonomous patient choice”. What initially is introduced for exceptional cases soon becomes the norm and the limits expand.

The Irish psychiatrist warn that the expression “death with dignity” is very often used by campaigners to mean the deliberately procured death of an ill or disabled person, and strongly implies that vulnerable people are “dignified” only in death.

“Not only is euthanasia not necessary for a dignified death, but techniques used to bring about death can themselves result in considerable and protracted suffering”, they wrote, noting that while euthanasia is portrayed by its defenders as a peaceful process, there are reports of prolongation of death (up to 7 days), and re‐awakening from coma (up to 4%).

The concerns expressed by the College of Psychiatrists in their position paper echo similar warnings that appeared in recent documents by the Irish Palliative Medicine Consultants’ Association, the Irish Society of Physicians in Geriatric Medicine, the Royal College of Physicians, the Royal College of Surgeons, and many other medical bodies internationally. The all reject any attempt to legalise PAS-E.

Those alarms come from medical professionals who deal every day with suffering and illness. Unfortunately, their voices will find little attention by Irish media, which seem to be interested only in emotional stories rather than a scientifically informed debate on the disastrous consequences of legalising assisted suicide and euthanasia.

 

Instead, most media debates on the topic are likely to increase public support for the proposition, as a recent edition of Claire Byrne Live on RTE showed.

Tutti i miei articoli del 2021

Nel 2021  ho scritto una sessantina di articoli non accademici. 56  per il blog dell'Iona Institute, poi pubblicati anche su altri siti, e sette per I-Fam news, alcuni dei quali tradotti in  cinque lingue. 

January

1st January 2021

‘The morality of Covid vaccines’

http://www.positionpapers.ie/2021/01/the-morality-of-covid-19-vaccines/

 

4th January 2021

‘HSE letter whitewashes conflict between doctors over late term abortions’

https://ionainstitute.ie/hse-letter-whitewashes-conflict-between-doctors-over-late-term-abortions/

 

6th January 2021

‘HSE letter whitewashes conflict between doctors over late term abortions’

https://theirishsentinel.com/2021/01/06/hse-letter-whitewashes-conflict-between-doctors-over-late-term-abortions/

 

8th January 2021

‘Contrary to popular belief religious men do more housework than the norm’

https://ionainstitute.ie/contrary-to-popular-belief-religious-men-do-more-housework-than-the-norm/

 

14^th January 2021

‘Legion of Mary humane response to the Mother and Baby homes’

https://ionainstitute.ie/legion-of-mary-humane-response-to-the-mother-and-baby-homes/

https://theirishsentinel.com/2021/01/14/legion-of-mary-humane-response-to-the-mother-and-baby-homes/

 

18th January 2021

‘New Zealand’s paradoxical attitude towards the protection of life’

https://ionainstitute.ie/new-zealands-paradoxical-attitude-towards-the-protection-of-life/

https://lbry.tv/@angelo.bottone:9/New-Zealand’s-darkly-paradoxical-attitude-towards-protecting-life:7 (longer version)

 

22th January 2021

‘Mother and Baby Homes report highlights how eugenics targeted unmarried mothers’

https://ionainstitute.ie/mother-and-baby-homes-report-highlights-how-eugenics-targeted-unmarried-mothers/

https://theirishsentinel.com/2021/01/22/mother-and-baby-homes-report-highlights-how-eugenics-targeted-unmarried-mothers/

 

25^th January 2021

‘How the 8^th amendment saved hundreds of babies with down syndrome’

https://ionainstitute.ie/how-the-8th-amendment-saved-hundreds-of-babies-with-down-syndrome/

https://lbry.tv/@angelo.bottone:9/BlogAntiabortionlegislationhassavedthousandsoflivesofpeoplewithDownSyndrome:c (slightly different version)

 

29^th January 2021

‘Canada’s terrible euthanasia warning for Ireland’

https://ionainstitute.ie/canadas-terrible-euthanasia-warning-for-ireland/

 

 

February

2nd February 2021

‘Pro-euthanasia submissions show the slippery slope is real’

https://ionainstitute.ie/pro-euthanasia-submissions-show-the-slippery-slope-is-real/

 

5th February 2021

‘Assisted suicide submission sows confusion about passive euthanasia’

https://ionainstitute.ie/assisted-suicide-submission-sows-confusion-about-passive-euthanasia/

 

12th February 2021

‘Medical bodies unite in opposition to assisted suicide Bill’

https://ionainstitute.ie/medical-bodies-unite-in-opposition-to-assisted-suicide-bill/

 

13th February 2021

https://theirishsentinel.com/2021/02/13/medical-bodies-unite-in-opposition-to-assisted-suicide-bill/

 

16th February 2021

‘Why I believe I have a moral duty to be vaccinated’

https://ionainstitute.ie/why-i-believe-i-have-a-moral-duty-to-be-vaccinated/

 

19th February 2021

‘The immoral origins of certain cell-lines used in medical research’

https://ionainstitute.ie/the-immoral-origins-of-certain-cell-lines-used-in-medical-research/

 

23rd February 2021

‘Ireland one of only two EU countries banning public worship’

https://ionainstitute.ie/ireland-and-slovenia-the-only-eu-country-with-a-total-ban-on-public-worship/

 

 

March

2nd March 2021

‘How Belgium’s euthanasia law has been consistently abused’

https://ionainstitute.ie/how-belgiums-euthanasia-law-has-been-consistently-abused/

http://blog.iti.ac.at/2021/03/how-belgiums-euthanasia-law-has-been-consistently-abused/

 

3rd March 2021

‘Covid-19 mappa del culto vietato, Ifamnews’

https://www.ifamnews.com/it/covid-19-mappa-del-culto-vietato/

 

8^th March 2021

‘Bringing hope to the persecuted Christians of Iraq’

https://ionainstitute.ie/bringing-hope-to-the-persecuted-christians-of-iraq/

 

9th March 2021

‘COVID-19 und Kultusverbot: Übersicht der Restriktionen in EU-Ländern’ https://www.ifamnews.com/de/covid-19-und-kultusverbot-bersicht-der-restriktionen-in-eu-l-ndern/

 

11th March 2021

‘Law lecturer says it is not illegal for Catholics to receive communion during lockdown’

https://ionainstitute.ie/law-lecturer-says-it-is-not-illegal-for-catholics-to-receive-communion-during-lockdown/

 

12th March 2021

https://theirishsentinel.com/2021/03/12/law-lecturer-says-it-is-not-illegal-for-catholics-to-receive-communion-during-lockdown/

 

23rd March 2021

‘China is cracking down on all religious believers including Christians’

https://ionainstitute.ie/china-is-cracking-down-on-all-religious-believers-including-christians/

 

27th March 2021

‘Axe is set to fall on the right to life in Northern Ireland’

https://ionainstitute.ie/axe-is-set-to-fall-on-the-right-to-life-in-northern-ireland/

 

 

April

2nd April 2021

‘An update on the public worship restrictions around Europe’

https://ionainstitute.ie/an-update-on-the-public-worship-restrictions-around-europe/

 

5^th April 2021

‘Londra impone l’aborto a Stormont’

https://ifamnews.com/it/londra-impone-l-aborto-a-stormont

 

6th April 2021

‘Dutch euthanasia law is deciding some lives are more worthy than others’

https://ionainstitute.ie/dutch-euthanasia-law-is-deciding-some-lives-are-more-worthy-than-others/

 

12th April 2021

‘Yet another report downgrades the natural ties’

https://ionainstitute.ie/yet-another-report-downgrades-the-natural-ties/

 

14th April 2021

‘Eutanasia, il Quarto Reich dei Paesi Bassi’

https://ifamnews.com/it/eutanasia-il-quarto-reich-dei-paesi-bassi

 

26th April 2021

‘Irish abortion doctors reporting little disapproval from colleagues’

https://ionainstitute.ie/irish-abortion-doctors-reporting-little-disapproval-from-colleagues/

 

 

May

4th May 2021

‘Covid caused a bigger decline in Catholic weddings than civil ones. Why?’

https://ionainstitute.ie/covid-19-caused-a-bigger-decline-in-catholic-weddings-than-civil-ones-why/

 

16th May 2021

‘Covid caused a bigger decline in Catholic weddings than civil ones. Why?’ (Longer version)

https://gript.ie/covid-caused-a-bigger-decline-in-catholic-weddings-than-civil-ones-why/

Family Solidarity newsletter n. 92

 

11th May 2021

‘Why vaccine passports must not be compulsory’

https://ionainstitute.ie/why-vaccine-passports-must-not-be-compulsory/

 

24th May 2021

‘Pain relief must be compulsory for late term abortions’

https://ionainstitute.ie/pain-relief-must-be-compulsory-for-late-term-abortions/

 

28th May 2021

‘Push is on to make our abortion law even more permissive’

https://ionainstitute.ie/push-is-on-to-make-our-abortion-law-even-more-permissive/

 

 

June

6th June 2021

‘Why Europe needs a common day of rest’

https://ionainstitute.ie/why-europe-needs-a-common-day-of-rest/

 

14th June 2021

‘More Irish opting for eugenic abortion’

https://ionainstitute.ie/more-irish-opting-for-eugenic-abortion/

Family Solidarity newsletter n. 92

 

22nd June 2021

‘Catholic pupils now being bullied in schools’

https://ionainstitute.ie/catholic-pupils-now-being-bullied-in-schools/

https://www.thehookoffaith.com/single-post/catholic-pupils-now-being-bullied-at-school

Family Solidarity newsletter n. 92

 

25th June 2021

‘Catholic pupils now being bullied in schools’

https://theirishsentinel.com/2021/06/25/catholic-pupils-now-being-bullied-in-schools/

 

28th June 2021

‘All Irish MEPs vote in favour of declaring abortion a right’

https://ionainstitute.ie/all-irish-meps-vote-in-favour-of-declaring-abortion-a-right/

Family Solidarity newsletter n. 92

 

29th June 2021

‘Ireland’s abortion rate increased last year’

https://ionainstitute.ie/irelands-abortion-rate-increased-last-year/

Family Solidarity newsletter n. 92

 

 

July

3rd July 2021

‘Inghilterra e Galles, aborti record’

https://ifamnews.com/it/inghilterra-e-galles-aborti-record

 

7th July 2021

‘Record-high abortion numbers in England and Wales’

https://ifamnews.com/en/record-high-abortion-numbers-in-england-and-wales

 

‘Angleterre et Pays de Galles, avortements record’

https://ifamnews.com/fr/angleterre-et-pays-de-galles-avortements-record

 

12th July 2021

‘Northern Ireland sees a big jump in the number of abortions’

https://ionainstitute.ie/northern-ireland-sees-a-big-jump-in-the-number-of-abortions/

 

‘Rekordabtreibungszahlen in England und Wales’

https://ifamnews.com/de/rekordabtreibungszahlen-in-england-und-wales

 

‘РЕКОРДНО ВИСОК БРОЈ АБОРТУСА У ЕНГЛЕСКОЈ И ВЕЛСУ’

https://ifamnews.com/sr/rekordno-visok-broj-abortusa-u-engleskoj-i-velsu

 

16th July 2021

‘What assisted suicide tells people with disabilities’

https://ionainstitute.ie/what-assisted-suicide-tells-people-with-disabilities/

 

20th July 2021

‘If want a future, we must promote familism not workism’

https://ionainstitute.ie/if-want-a-future-we-must-promote-familism-not-workism/

Family Solidarity newsletter n. 93

 

23rd July 2021                                                                   

‘Assisted suicide Bill was too flawed to continue’

https://ionainstitute.ie/assisted-suicide-bill-was-too-flawed-to-continue/

Family Solidarity newsletter n. 93

 

‘Festeggiamo l’Irlanda dove l’eutanasia è stata fermata’

https://ifamnews.com/it/festeggiamo-l-irlanda-dove-l-eutanasia-stata-fermata

 

28th July 2021

'Italia e Irlanda a proposito di eutanasia'

https://www.aldomariavalli.it/2021/07/28/italia-e-irlanda-a-proposito-di-eutanasia/

 

30th July 2021

‘L’Irlande stoppe l’euthanasie’

https://ifamnews.com/fr/l-irlande-stoppe-l-euthanasie

 

‘Irland stoppt Euthanasie’

https://ifamnews.com/de/irland-stoppt-euthanasie

 

31st July 2021

‘Aborto libero, lo tsunami nordirlandese’

https://ifamnews.com/it/aborto-libero-tsunami-nordirlandese

 

‘ИРСКА ЗАСАД РЕКЛА НЕ ЕУТАНАЗИЈИ’

https://ifamnews.com/sr/irska-zasad-rekla-ne-eutanaziji

 

August

 

6th August 2021

‘Ireland’s rising number of divorces will harm children’

https://ionainstitute.ie/irelands-rising-number-of-divorces-will-harm-children/

Family Solidarity newsletter n. 93

 

10th August 2021

‘Violent persecution of Christians continues unabated and underreported’

https://ionainstitute.ie/violent-persecution-of-christians-continues-unabated-and-underreported/

 

11^th August 2021

‘Let’s celebrate Ireland where euthanasia has been stopped’

https://ifamnews.com/en/let-s-celebrate-ireland-where-euthanasia-has-been-stopped

 

13th August 2021

‘New study finds Catholic students and teachers being subjected to bullying’

https://ionainstitute.ie/new-study-finds-catholic-students-and-teachers-being-subjected-to-bullying/

 

24th August 2021

‘Afghan Christians were in a very difficult situation even before the Taliaban’

https://ionainstitute.ie/afghan-christians-were-in-a-very-difficult-situation-even-before-the-taliban/

 

25^th August 2021

‘New study finds Catholic pupils and teachers being subjected to bullying’

https://gript.ie/new-study-finds-catholic-pupils-and-teachers-being-subjected-to-bullying/

 

31st August 2021

‘The Catholic Church already does plenty to help the homeless’

https://ionainstitute.ie/the-catholic-church-already-does-plenty-to-help-the-homeless/

 

September

 

3rd September 2021

‘Some good news on the pro-life front in the US’

https://ionainstitute.ie/some-good-news-on-the-pro-life-front-in-the-us/

 

8th September 2021

‘Religion had a positive effect on mental health during lockdown

https://ionainstitute.ie/religion-had-a-positive-effect-on-mental-health-during-lockdown/

 

9th September 2021

https://gript.ie/studies-religion-had-a-positive-effect-on-mental-health-during-lockdown/

 

20st September 2021

‘A totalitarian twist as assisted suicide law targets Catholic hospitals’

https://ionainstitute.ie/a-totalitarian-twist-as-assisted-suicide-law-targets-catholic-hospitals/

https://www.thehookoffaith.com/single-post/a-totalitarian-twist-as-assisted-suicide-law-targets-catholic-hospitals

 

21st September 2021

‘A totalitarian twist as assisted suicide law targets Catholic hospitals’

https://theirishsentinel.com/2021/09/21/a-totalitarian-twist-as-assisted-suicide-law-targets-catholic-hospitals/

 

24th September 2021

‘Court rules in favour of England pro-eugenics abortion law’

https://ionainstitute.ie/court-rules-in-favour-of-englands-pro-eugenics-abortion-law/

 

‘A totalitarian twist as assisted suicide law targets Catholic hospitals’

https://gript.ie/a-totalitarian-twist-as-assisted-suicide-law-targets-catholic-hospitals/

 

29th September 2021

‘Missing marriage and the baby carriage’

https://ionainstitute.ie/missing-marriage-and-the-baby-carriage/

 

October

 

4th October 2021

‘A harsh light is shone on the fertility industry’

https://ionainstitute.ie/a-harsh-light-is-shone-on-the-fertility-industry/

 

9th October 2021

‘State limits on religion reach a new high’

https://ionainstitute.ie/state-limits-on-religion-reach-a-new-high/

 

12th October 2021

‘A new assisted suicide Bill comes before the British Parliament’

https://ionainstitute.ie/a-new-assisted-suicide-bill-comes-before-the-british-parliament/

 

18th October 2021

‘Screening for defective children reaches a new level of sophistication’

https://ionainstitute.ie/screening-for-defective-children-reaches-a-new-level-of-sophistication/

‘New genetic selection techniques will facilitate eugenics’ (Longer version)

https://odysee.com/@angelo.bottone:9/Newgeneticselectiontechniqueswillfacilitateeugenics:0

 

 

29th October 2021

‘Irish NGOs target true human rights ahead of UN meeting’

https://ionainstitute.ie/irish-ngos-target-true-human-rights-ahead-of-un-meeting/

 

November

 

3rd November 2021

‘Londra contro il suicidio assistito’

https://ifamnews.com/it/londra-contro-il-suicidio-assistito

 

8th November 2021

‘Denominational schools under the spotlight at UN committee’

https://ionainstitute.ie/denominational-schools-under-the-spotlight-at-un-committee/

 

15th November 2021

‘The ESRI’s blind spot on marriage’

https://ionainstitute.ie/the-esris-blind-spot-on-marriage/

 

16th November 2021

‘As expected, UN pressure us to liberalise our abortion law even more’ (Iona newsletter only)

 

17^th November 2021

‘The UN’s review of Ireland is a total joke. Here’s why.’ (Quoted a few times)

https://gript.ie/the-uns-review-of-ireland-is-a-total-joke-heres-why/

 

23rd November 2021

‘Hate crimes against Christians on the rise in Europe’

https://ionainstitute.ie/hate-crimes-against-christians-on-the-rise-in-europe/

https://theirishsentinel.com/2021/11/23/hate-crimes-against-christians-on-the-rise-in-europe/

 

27th November 2021

‘Vuoi abortire? Aspetta un momento ...’

https://ifamnews.com/it/vuoi-abortire-aspetta-un-momento

 

28th November 2021

‘Voulez vous avorter? Attendez un moment …’

https://ifamnews.com/fr/voulez-vous-avorter-attendez-un-moment

 

30th November 2021

‘Ireland’s birth rate falls off the cliff’

https://ionainstitute.ie/irelands-birth-rate-falls-off-the-cliff/

https://theirishsentinel.com/2021/11/30/irelands-birth-rate-falls-off-the-cliff/

 

‘Aborto. Quella pausa di riflessione che salva vite’

https://www.aldomariavalli.it/2021/11/30/aborto-quella-pausa-di-riflessione-che-salva-vite/

 

December

 

7th December 2021

‘Sie Wollen abtreiben? Warten Sie einen Moment …’

https://ifamnews.com/de/sie-wollen-abtreiben-warten-sie-einen-moment

 

‘New ERSI report on disability ignores eugenic abortion’

https://ionainstitute.ie/new-ersi-report-on-disability-ignores-eugenic-abortion/

https://gript.ie/new-ersi-report-on-disability-ignores-eugenic-abortion/

 

13th December 2021

The extreme philosophy behind a new suicide machine

https://ionainstitute.ie/the-extreme-philosophy-behind-a-new-suicide-machine/

 

21st December 2021

https://gript.ie/the-extreme-philosophy-behind-a-new-suicide-machine/

 

22nd December 2021

‘What a new report reveals about the love lives of Irish young people’

https://ionainstitute.ie/what-a-new-report-reveals-about-the-love-lives-of-irish-young-people/