The Bishop of Meath has defended the continuing value of Catholic education in Ireland, insisting that parents still strongly support faith-based schools, even as critics argue that many institutions bearing the Catholic name no longer reflect a robust religious identity.
The comments were made by Bishop Tom Deenihan during celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of St Oliver Plunkett’s Primary School in Navan. Addressing parents and staff, Bishop Deenihan criticised what he described as an “ill-informed and false” portrayal of Catholic schools as places of coercion or indoctrination.
