Church will not reject people, says bishop

The Catholic Church will not reject people because they use contraception, don’t attend Mass every Sunday, have sex outside marriage or live lives that run counter to the ideals of the Church, according to the Bishop of Cork and Ross.

Bishop John Buckley has said the central tenets of Catholicism were not established as rules of memberships but as “ideals”.

“These are all ideals that we must try to live up to. If you do not meet all these ideals, it does not mean that you cannot take your place at the table the Lord has prepared for you. The Church is a refuge for the weak, not a home for the perfect.