Ahern to address Church conference

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will today address a major conference of the Catholic Church that is exploring the values inspiring Irish political and social life.

Mr Ahern is just one of the speakers at the Dublin event which is aiming to inform people on the social doctrine behind the Church in Ireland.

In June 2005, the Pontifical Council of the Catholic Church published its social doctrine to influence lay people in the community on a variety of issues including family, work, economic life, the political community and the promotion of peace.

Some of the other speakers at the all-day conference, entitled ‘The Common Good in an Unequal World’, include Cardinal Renato Martino, President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace; Primate of All Ireland Dr Sean Brady and Archbishop of Dublin Dr Diarmuid Martin.

Other people addressing the conference on various aspects of the doctrine include Lord Chris Patten of Barnes; Nuala O’Loan Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland; David Begg General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions; Deirdre Carroll from Inclusion Ireland and Trinity College Dublin Professor William Binchy.

At the publication of the Irish edition of the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church last June, Dr Martin said: “The social doctrine of the Church is not a political manifesto and cannot be simply appropriated as the agenda of any political party. The social teaching is not a ‘third way’, it is an original way.”

He added: “The Social Doctrine of the Church is above all an instrument to guide the formation of the consciences of Christians especially Christian lay persons.”