McAleese in row over invite to women’s event on day pontiff arrives

of the most prominent female Irish Catholics have clashed over a disputed invitation to a symposium on women’s empowerment due to take place on the day Pope Francis arrives in the Republic.

Businesswoman Norah Casey, who will co-chair the Voices of Impact symposium on Saturday August 25, and has been heavily involved in fundraising efforts for the Pope’s visit, claimed she had invited former Irish President Mary McAleese to attend the event.

Ms Casey told RTE the symposium will see a host of high-profile women from Ireland and abroad speak about their roles to an audience of 1,000 women from 116 countries.

“Of course, I’ve invited Mary McAleese, Mary Robinson and all female politicians, a lot of male politicians and the Taoiseach,” Ms Casey said.

When programme presenter Brendan O’Connor informed Ms Casey that Mrs McAleese’s son Justin had contacted the programme to say his mother had not been invited, she dismissed his claims.

“I sent it myself because there was about 200 that went out on last Friday week and I went back into the server to make sure all of those emails were sent.

“I’m obsessive about things like that. I’m 100%,” she said.

However, Mrs McAleese, who is originally from Ardoyne in north Belfast, said she has not received an invitation so far.

“I was surprised to hear Novited

Pope Francis, and former Irish President Mary McAleese

rah Casey claim on radio she had emailed an invitation to me a week ago. Since I did not receive it, I have asked her to kindly resend it,” Mrs McAleese said.

The former head of state has been highly critical of the Catholic Church over its treatment of women, accusing it of misogyny.

She added that friends of hers, who had been invited to the event, had rung to ask if she had

been invited.

They revealed that the first invitations to the Voices of Impact event had been sent in the name of the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, almost six weeks ago.

“A week ago, another friend got in touch to say she had just been emailed an invitation and was surprised at the late notice.

“She asked if I had been inTWO and did I know anything about the event. I explained I had not been invited and knew nothing about it,” Mrs McAleese said.

Asked if she would attend the symposium, she said when she receives an invitation and knew more about it, “I will be in a position to reply”.

Meanwhile, an opinion poll has found strong public support for Mrs McAleese’s severe criticism of the Catholic Church.

The Sunday Independent/ Kantar Millward Brown poll found more than half agree with Mrs McAleese who said the Church does not treat women equally.

Almost two-thirds support her views in favour of female priests and another two-thirds of those questioned believe Catholic priests should be allowed to marry.

The poll found 55% support her view that the Church does not treat women equally, with only 15% not in agreement, a further 15% said ‘it depends’, and 15% said they did not know. POPE Francis will be driven around in a Skoda car while he is in Ireland.

Irish businesswoman Norah Casey — who is helping to raise €21m (£18.7m) to fund the World Meeting of Families event in Dublin later this month — confirmed the pontiff would be travelling in the vehicle.

Appearing as a panellist on RTE Radio One’s Marian show yesterday, Ms Casey said the car brand was providing vehicles for the World Meeting of Families.

“He’s driving a Skoda while he’s in Ireland. Travelling in it,” she said.

Host Brendan O’Connor — who was standing in for Marian Finucane — said the fact the Pope would be seen travelling in a Skoda would “probably be invaluable to them”.

The former Czech brand was incorporated into the Volkswagen group two decades ago, and has become a ‘mid-market’ brand favoured by Irish families.

It is not known which type of Skoda model the pontiff would be travelling in — it could be its topof-the-range Superb or Kodiaq models. Or perhaps the Pope — a modest man who eschews luxury and extravagance — might opt for the Fabia or Citigo models.

Ms Casey also told the programme that they were seeking to raise €21m in sponsorship to cover the entire visit, which also includes a trip to Knock, Co Mayo, on Sunday, August 24.

She said the cost of staging the papal Mass in Phoenix Park would come to €1m (£892,000) alone.

Ms Casey declined to say how much has been raised so far, but did reiterate that there was no State funding for the event.

Half-a-million people are expected to attend the Mass in the Phoenix Park, which also features some 7,000 general volunteers, 3,000 papal volunteers in the choir, and another 2,000-plus assisting with the holy communion.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) has assumed responsibility for preparing the park and the thousands of volunteers.

The OPW says there will be “multiple food and drink stations” throughout the park, along with designated ‘Rest Zones’.

The World Meeting of Families team has warned those attending the Phoenix Park event that they can expect to walk up to 7km in the approach to the venue and in to the park itself.