Irish ‘Catholic Voices’ is established
From the Catholic Herald:
By ED WEST on Friday, 17 February 2012
An Irish equivalent to the lay group Catholic Voices has been established.
Catholic Comment, like its British equivalent, has been formed to prepare a team of lay people to speak about the Catholic faith in the media. It is currently looking for potential speakers, and those selected will be offered media training and briefings on topical issues as they prepare for TV and radio appearances.
The project directors will include independent senator Rónán Mullen, former management consultant, Catríona Curran, theology student Maura Garrihy and barrister Lorcán Price.
Petra Conroy, the project co-ordinator, said: “Despite the challenges and crises of recent years, the Catholic faith matters to very many people in Ireland. There are thousands of people with a sincere commitment to the mission and teachings of the Church. Yet the media often has a hard job finding people who can speak confidently.”
Miss Conroy said that the group had received unofficial support already: “We are not an official body. But we aim to support the Church’s own communications efforts by offering a team of well-informed lay people. The Eucharistic Congress will be a time of heightened interest in Catholicism and we will assist journalists looking for people of faith who are ready and able to speak.”
Catholic Voices was established in the run-up to Pope Benedict’s visit in 2010, and Miss Conroy said: “Our style of communication will be very similar.”
Those interested in becoming speakers are invited to contact Petra Conroy before March 6 at catholiccomment.ie
Posted on February 17, 2012, in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. 5 Comments.
Lux Occulta 
Has the Church in ireland not suffered enough?
LOL! I know nothing about this group (or Catholic Voices) so I can’t offer much comment on it but it seems positive in principle.
Does the Irish church really need more folk more interested in spin than in the truth?
Wasn’t there a post in the Thirsty Gargoyle’s blog recently about the UK version – Catholic Voices – in which he said that he’s apparently been accepted as a speaker for them? I’ve seen your recent comment, Berenike (7th February) about Catholic Voices, and I see where you’re coming from, but surely it’s early days yet?
As I see it, an Irish version could only help in counteracting the constant spin we’re subjected to from what passes as our objective media – good little lefty Statists all. The Paper of Record on Saturday had a self-satisfied sub-leader last Saturday in which it loftily pardoned itself from any charge of being anti-religious. As the young lady once said: “Well he would say that, wouldn’t he?”
I only buy it on Saturday for the TV guide, and the sports coverage. Honestly 🙂
Thirsty Gargoyle is indeed a member of the Catholic Voices in Britain. (He’s an Irish immigrant living in Manchester.) I see it as very positive in principle, though I don’t know very much about it. I agree that it could do much good in challenging media bias. That Irish Times’ editorial was particularly sickening. (I can’t wait for our newspapers to go bankrupt.)