Zappone to raise ‘misogyny’ in Rome

Minister for Children Katherine Zappone says she shares former president Mary McAleese’s view that the Catholic Church is misogynistic, and she intends to raise these concerns in person when she visits the Irish College in Rome later this week.

Ahead of her visit as part of St Patrick’s Day meetings, Ms Zappone said: “I definitely concur with Mary McAleese’s thoughts. I would have been of that view for many, many years. I think it is really important to continue the dialogue and I will be both visiting the Holy See in the context of the ambassador’s residence and also having lunch in the Irish College in Rome.

She said she will be there “as a senior minister from Ireland and bring a respect for different aspects of the tradition but certainly not the misogyny of the tradition of the Roman Catholic Church”.