Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
FORMER MEP KATHY Sinnott has said the idea to set up Ireland’s only Catholic liberal arts college was inspired by her son who died in a tragic accident in 2009.
A group in the United States has been formed to raise funds for the Newman College Ireland and to pay for scholarships to allow students to attend without paying huge fees. Sinnott said those involved in the project have already started scouting locations for the college but “we haven’t discovered it yet”.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie she said the idea for the four year college, which will offer courses in theology, philosophy, history, literature, maths and natural science, was inspired by her son Kevin, who passed away five years ago. The 22-year-old drowned while trying to swim across a lake near his college.
She said he had been through the Irish education system and “didn’t do so well”.
He went to a liberal arts college in America, he got a good scholarship and I wanted him to absolutely blossom. He discovered talents there he didn’t know he had.
“At his funeral I was thinking how happy he was over the last couple of years and how some of his friends in Ireland didn’t have the same opportunity,” she continued. “Some were doing subjects they wanted to do when they were 16 but changed their minds and I just thought people in Ireland should have this.”
Scholarships
Sinnott explained that the college will offer students a chance to major in a particular topic of their interest but they will also be given an education in the base subjects, like theology and history.
On a website set up for the college, it says it expects to be able to award students substantial scholarship aid. It also said students will be encouraged “to learn the unity of truth, and to see the goodness, truth and beauty of creation, as well as the inviolable dignity of human life, which is threatened in our time by an eclipse of the sense of God”.
The project’s Facebook page promises the college will “form the next generation ot Catholic leaders; ethical businessmen, mothers and fathers, priests and religious eager to serve God.”
Sinnott said the project is still in the early stages now and fundraising is expected to pick up once a site for the college has been selected and plans are more concrete. However she said the group is also hoping to collect 3.5 million memorares, as the college “is going to be built on prayer”.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
The education system hasbeen under the control of the Catholic church since the foundation of the State. How are we going to magically get “ethical businessmen” by having a Catholic university when there seems to be a conspicuous lack of ethics here already?
Indeed the ethics that brought us such wonders as symphysiotomy.
Peter McGlynn,
red herring alert. You are way of the mark. the symphysiotomy was used all over the world when medical conditions were insufficient to allow c-sections. There is nothing ‘Catholic ‘about it.
I think you need to re-read the reviews of the victims published by the journal. Doctors telling victims sure you’re catholic,this will help you have many children.
Yes – It is carried out in developing countries where there is no option for a cesarian. The stifling of information to these women by this theocracy was just the tip of the iceberg – the actions of these Doctors was morally wrong in the extreme.
Guardians of morality my hole.
Peter,
There is no question that symphysiotomy were overused yet was only due to the laziness of the doctors. Its frankly outlandish to blame it on Catholic teachings as there is NO Catholic teachings for this medical situation.
The church doesn’t try to be or portray itself as ‘Guardians of morality’. It only exists to be the church.
Indeed, — Irish doctors performed horrible, needless symphysiotomies, nobody else. Catholicism had nothing to do with it, just bad medicine, bad judgement and flawed ethics.
And our marvellous “free” Irish press/media did not open their “ethical” mouths about symphisiotomies either. Its easy to talk wit hindsight now.
Just like some of our present day “ethical” doctors/ careerist politicians/ and so-called “liberal investigative” journalists, tell Irish people now, women in particular, that aborting to death, a growing, living human in her mothers womb, is also now OK.
History will judge different , as Ultrasound already shows the living scientific truth, to those with eyes to see.
Doctors performed symphisiotomies, as they now perform abortions.
I feel so ignorant not knowing “the unity of truth”. It sounds reasonable – scientists and academics are all about getting to the truth of a matter and therefore it’s something central to the role of a university. But I’m thinking this “truth” is potentially different in its genesis to the truths arrived at from within the realm of empirical scientific methods. A university without full regard to such basic scientific philosophy and methods should not be called a university. Having and holding “truths” that are not verifiable doesn’t not accord well with the study of History, Maths, Psychology etc. To me, the proposed “university” sounds much more like a center for Christian propaganda than a liberal Arts college – but I may have set the bar too high.
Superb comment Peter, summed up the issue perfectly.
There ain’t ‘alf been some clever bast’rds!
Not at all. Catholic universities and colleges exist on all over the world as centres of all fields of research. From Gonzaga University , Loyola University or Katholieke Universiteit Leuven,
I don’t know a single thing about how Liberal Arts colleges operate in the States but surely any college setting up here without a major cost to the tax payer can only be a good thing. The ethos of the college will not appeal to all but it will certainly appeal to many. Mater Dei and All Hallows are just 2 that have a Catholic ethos already, I’m sure there are more. If people don’t want to go, they won’t apply. Quite simple really.
Religous dogmatists trying to brainwash young people and make them into a cadre of right-wing conservative politicians, who would then influence a wider public who do not share their beliefs- no nothing to worry about there…
I’m sure if the KKK tried to set up a university you would show the same level of understanding.
It couldn’t be any different to studying Theology in Maynooth or All Hallows. There’s only one way to teach Maths and it wouldn’t matter what the ethos of the college was in that case. Catholics aren’t Creationists so they’re not going to learn that nonsense there. People are only going to go if they are that way inclined already so I can’t see the issue. And people will be crying out for scholarships in the coming years now that college fees are continually increasing. Human minds aren’t as easy to “indoctrinate” as some people like to suggest. I’m a practicing Catholic, my older children have gone through primary and are almost through secondary school and neither of them share my Faith. You either believe or you don’t and I can’t imagine any college changing an already decided mind.
Then set up your own lefty liberal university then. I bet if someone was setting up a uni that excluded any type of religious orientated persons you’d be delighted.
@inzane, I wasn’t aware that the KKK had opened universities in the US? Have they been successful?
@Andrea, I have no idea, it depends how you measure success.
Hard to measure something that doesn’t exist yet..
Yes it is hard to measure God
So predictable Inzane, I was expecting something better…
Like most of your beliefs, it will eventually lead to disapointment
Still disappointing Inzane! At least try to come up with something original…
If only you were the first lady I will have to leave disappointed
You are utterly pathetic and embarrassing – thought by hiding behind an pseudonym, you obviously realise that already.
Angry much there Paddy
Angry? Oh gosh no. Sorry for you yes.
“set up lefty liberal unis”??
We already have them, —- where, as seen recently, anyone setting up, speaking on, or promoting a radical prolife anti-abortion view on campus, will be viciously opposed by lefty, secularist anti-Catholic, pro abortion bigots in the Students Union and/or hard left political parties on campus, who will attempt to stifle, intimidate and close down all open free speech.
There is plenty of recent evidence of this on-campus anti Catholic and pro abortion bigotry, if you read newspapers.
Try setting up say, a prolife group in your campus. See what happens. And the tactics used, and by whom, to oppose it.
These are fascist, Student Union careerist bigots actually, who can’t abide anyone’s view but their own, being expressed on campus.
So much for academic freedom. Mostly, the Irish anti-Catholic, pro abortion media comes out of this third – level stable, their prejeudices fully formed.
The Students Union is just a career stop before they career-build in the Irish media, as a platform for their views.
Students should disaffiliate from, and stop paying their hard-earned cash, into the pockets of pro abortion Students Union careerist ideologues.
Boycott pro abortion Student Unions, whose concerns and campaign agenda, are irrelevant to most average students.
Keep your hard earned fees money out of the clutches of the Student Union careerists.
Try a small experiment.
Ask your Student Union President/executive how you can dis-affiliate yourself and your money from a pro abortion Students Union, which you don’t support and did not ask to join.
Then see how “liberal”, “inclusive” and “tolerant of other views”, these secular PC fascists really are.
Very intolerant, actually, as in, they won’t help, or won’t have a simple disaffiliation procedure for you.
Hypocrites actually, bleating on about “tolerance” — except when your money, which funds their parasitic careers and offices, is under threat of loss.
Watch the deafening silence, the ignored emails, the obfuscation, and obstacles placed to stop students disaffiliating themselves and their money, from a Student Union which they never asked to join, and which does not represent them.
Try it. Test their “liberal tolerance of diversity” for yourself. Students should stop funding pro abortion Student Union careerists.
Compulsory Student Union membership is nonsense, but like the Berlin Wall, they cling to it in order to keep their people captive inside, with none of the much-vaunted “choice” which they yak on incessantly about to everyone else.
Catholic university is one of those things that sounds like an oxymoron.
You must have been dragged up in one of those secular schools for special people.
The Catholic Church invented the university in Europe. Whatever about oxymorons, you are an actual moron.
Um no – the first universities were Muslim and in Spain and had a non-denominational ethos in all spheres until the good old Catholics marched them out of Europe or forcibly converted them. High morals yet again.
Sounds like someone didn’t go to university. The oldest universities in Europe were Christian and in Italy. The oldest places of education in the world are Christian monastic schools.
Before the accusations start rolling in, I am not religious. I just hate to see equally ignorant people attacking someone because of their faith.
Would Plato’s academy and the library of Alexandria not count as universities?
Nope, because they were not universities. The universities I am referring to are the model upon which modern universities around the world are based upon.
When you want to make something unique and new you just change the name – the first universities existed in the Muslim world before the decreeing of universities in medieval Europe. Spain has seats of learning under moorish rule were Christians, Jews and Muslims could learn, philosophise and invent and worship without persecution as long as they stayed loyal to their rulers.
Currently in the news – Interesting attempts it would appear here to hide the past by the Catholic Church:
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=47344&icid=a&d_str=
some of the earliest ‘universities’ in Europe, were here in Ireland, and dating back to the 6th century. Places like Clonmacnoise & Glendalough were actually schools & centres of learning.
The cultural influence of Irish Christian monasticism, throughout Ancient & Medieval Europe, has been profound.
The Roman Empire declined during from the 4th century onwards.
Much of the learning & literacy of ancient Rome was saved & preserved by Christian monks. During the so called ‘Dark Ages’ when Europe was overrun by the barbarian tribe – Irish monks reintroduced this culture of learning back to mainland Europe.
The history of Christianity & Education go hand in hand.
They didn’t save it. Most of it travelled east through Constantinople to Muslim lands from there it reentered Europe through Moorish Spain. I’m not saying Irish monks were stupid, but you can’t give them any credit for bringing Europe out of the dark ages. At that point ireland was being raided by Vikings and was going through its own dark age.
@Peter McGlynn,
“interesting attempts it would appear here to hide the past by the Catholic Church:”
I am really scratching my head at you comment. The local manger of Cordoba cathedral does not count as the Catholic Church!
what a bigotted comment from an anti-Catholic bigot.
When will this woman just go away with her poisonous ideas?
Why dont the internet athiests get together and build an athiests university along with all their other charitable works Eg ah em ahem cough … Gosh i cant think what they do except criticise Catholics who actually get things done…
Because a real university doesn’t need a label.
Centres of education should be devoid of any ethos based on one particular world view.
Universities should encourage debate on different outlooks, not tell students that one is correct and all the others are wrong.
@Sinead Hanley:
The fact that you can’t even spell atheists speaks volumes!
John.. If you dont like Catholic Universities then dont go to one!!! Simples.
@Sinead Hanley:
Get well soon!
I don’t, or rather I didn’t.
My point is that if an educational institution aims to instill a single, narrow world view in those who attend it then it cannot justly be regarded as a university.
John Ward.. Thanks but there is no cure for what i have..
I’m hoping that’s because you have nothing that needs to be cured Sinead.
I am not sure what criteria it would need to meet to be called a university (having no degrees myself)..
I can only speak for myself but i was a bit cracked as a teenager (no different to any other) but i always had a very conservative/spiritual side that i never acknowledged or let anyone see for fear of being mocked and it was hard work hiding it. I think somewhere like this would’ve suited me. We all want to fit in somewhere.
You only have to look at all the young people (men especially) going missing and dying by suicide to know that something is lacking/missing in their lives and they are unable to reach out. It seems to me that you have to be liberal and athiest these days otherwise you are deemed a fool. Fact is some people have a spiritual side and if they do not embrace it or are made to feel ashamed by it then they you will see problems.
Sinead – are you suggesting that the men committing suicide could be saved by a spiritual side? What about the young catholic men committing suicide?
A high proportion of male suicides are the result of Catholic teaching on homosexuality, hopefully this will recede over the coming years as they attain full equality, and certain segments of society become better educated.
Gaius.. I totally agree that Catholic teaching up to now on homosexuality is very damaging. Obsessed with whats going on in the bedroom!! There is more to life.
Thank God for Pope Francis. He believes God looks on everyone with love and condemns no one.. And thats pretty much how i feel about it myself
Paul.. My own teenage years were very mixed up. My friends will tell you i had suicidal tendancies. I dont know how many times i wanted to walk out in front of a truck. I can only speak for myself and what worked for me. I resumed going to Mass and prayed and came out of the darkness and everything has been good since Thank God.
I think a bit of “pray, hope and dont worry” lightens the load. It transformed my life.
Could you support that bold assertion with some facts?!
I have never come across any statistical information that indicates the claim you have made.
I’m afraid you’ve fallen for the spin doctors there Sinead, Pope Francis is quite explicit that he views gay marriage as the work of the Devil, a grave sin and deceitful, hardly the views of soemone who condemns no one as you said http://www.humanlife.ie/hlis-information-a-resources/newsletter-archive/116-newsletter-december-2013.html
Good question.
Taking advantage of the suicide epidemic in this country to bash Catholic teaching and promote the idea of victimisation of homosexuality is a form of “two birds with one stone” opportunism.
It seriously misrepresents those who have chosen to commit suicide, and the reasons and/or causes they may have.
Paul – scroll back up a bit there and look at some of the suggestions Sinead makes regarding suicide. It is more a case of Sinead using the “suicide epidemic” to promote religious teachings.
I disagree Paul,
I do agree that a spiritual perspective can help people when making suicide choices. It doesn’t have to be Catholic.
Paul – you can disagree all you like, but Sinead’s comments are there for all to read. It is hypocritical to admonish a poster for using suicide to support an assertion, but then find it perfectly agreeable when used to support a religious argument. Interesting that Sinead introduced suicide into the thread and you did not correct or criticise her, but chose to attack a poster who replied to her use of it.
Paul,
Gaius has yet to provide a source for his assertion. Sineads comment was personal. We are entitled to our opinions, but they are open to criticism, you choose to criticise Sineads support for having a “spiritual side” but are quite prepared to let what looks like a bogus statistical assertion slide. I don’t. That’s why we disagree.
Paul – you seem to be deliberately ignoring Sinead’s initial comment, which was not personal because it does not suit your agenda.
I have no doubt that some young Irish men have committed suicide in Ireland as a direct result of the Catholic Church’s teachings. The church itself seems to acknowledge this and supports Gaius’s point.
http://www.associationofcatholicpriests.ie/2014/01/homosexuality-and-the-catholic-church-mary-cunningham/
You’re equating “risk” in the link you provide to the Gaius assertion that a “high proportion” of suicides are for those reasons. You’re blaming suicide on spirituality. Go on, prove it.
Paul – oh dear. I am not surprised others have not responded to you, it is pointless, you only see that which does not inconvenience you. Priests and the church can acknowledge it, but you cannot.
Priests and the Church acknowledged risk. Since Gaius has not, perhaps you could support his assertion with some actual statistics.
Oh i see… you don’t like dyslexia either…
stupid comment from a supercilious clown…
9 months for that comment… Excellent example of a pregnant pause…
No ide what it means, though…
Interesting comments to follow
What happens when they collect the 3.5m memorares? Are they put in box, buried and the college then magically appears.
Never going to fly. I always thought that since the Irish education system is so vehemently RC that we had a de-facto catholic establishment.
Stop this project now
Did Cardinal Newman not already set up the Catholic University in 1854??
Ballina, Co Mayo already has “Newman Institute” . Similar ethos and courses already available here without the liberal arts. I’d say Newman Ballina won’t like their name being hijacked
Isn’t there enough of that silly sky fairy nonsense forced upon our kids in Primary Schools under Catholic Church patronage ?
Don’t worry no one will force you to go.
Fair play to them. I hope it works out.
NUI TCD and Ul cannot be said to be Catholic universities. As the state funds the universities they have long since lost any specific Catholic ethos. TCD never had it and I notice it does not get attacked for being essentially COI and that served Trinity well.
If anything being Catholic counts against people now. If one says people should live good decent lives that is enough to get one into trouble.
If religion helps people deepen their relationship with God why stop them? All the liberals go on about how valuable human rights and dignity are yet they casually acccept abortion, euthanasia, are accept suicide as a personal right or choice without demanding help for people experiencing a crisis in life. For those you were at university and attack the Catholic ethos clearly the education was wasted on you IMHO.
Its not a case of losing ‘any specific Catholic ethos’, Cork, Galway and Belfast universities have never had a Catholic ethos. They were formed as secular universities known as the ‘Godless colleges’ and Belfast adopted a Protestant ethos from 1908.
Well done Cathy.
May God bless you and this great project abundantly!
The Iona Institute can govern the Newman University. Combine the two and we could have the Iona College.
We don’t have enough Roman Catholicism in Ireland.
We need mandatory public Angelus twice a day and put to the sword all those who don’t believe in the one true faith.
Bring bank the Spanish Inquisition while we are at it.
have your say