North becoming ‘cold house’ for faith

The Northern bishops have said Christians are feeling a growing ‘chill factor’ in public policy and law in Northern Ireland.

In a pastoral reflection on the forthcoming elections to the Northern Assembly, the bishops have listed a number of key issues for Catholic voters to consider, including the right to religious freedom.

Funding

The bishops said there have been examples of exclusion of Church and faith groups from access to public funding for services “because of their religious ethos and values” and describe the forced closing of a Catholic adoption agency for holding the traditional belief that marriage is between a man and woman as a “siren call to all who uphold respect for religious freedom”.

The statement has called for the next Assembly to address “how freedom of religious conscience can be most appropriately accommodated and expressed in law”.