Mcaleese blast at Church ‘misogyny’
MARY Mcaleese yesterday launched an astonishing attack on the Catholic Church branding it an “empire of misogyny”.
She made the comments ahead of a Voices of Faith conference calling on women to be included in decision-making.
The former President told reporters in Rome: “The Catholic Church is one of the last great bastions of misogyny. It’s an empire of misogyny.
“There are so few leadership roles currently available to women. Women do not have strong role models in the Church they can look up to.”
Mrs Mcaleese was speaking at the conference on Catholic women’s rights as part of International Women’s Day.
The conference is usually held in the Vatican but it was moved after a cardinal requested that three speakers, including Mrs Mcaleese, be excluded from the event because of their views on gay rights.
Boss Chantal Goetz said: “It was disappointing to realise, on IWD of all days, these women who have accomplished so much in their communities could be turned away from sharing their stories and experiences as Catholics.”