Latest News

Dear Friends, Family Solidarity is delighted to invite you to a special webinar discussing "The Synod on Synodality: Process and Outcomes", following the conclusion of the Synod on Sunday, 27th October. This insightful event will take place on Monday, 28th October at...

Dear friends and supporters, We are pleased to invite you to a talk by Emily de Rotstein on “Celebrating 150 years: How GK Chesterton continues to ‘evangelise’ through education”. Saturday 7th September, 12 pm Central Catholic Library 74 Merrion Square, Dublin 2 Emily...

Terence Horgan (1937 – 2024)   Terry Horgan, who died on 4th January 2024 after a long illness, was one of the founding members of Family Solidarity and a loyal supporter. Born in Loughrea in 1937, the second youngest of eleven children, three of whom became...

Brussels, 11th April 2024 Reacting to the vote, FAFCE President Vincenzo Bassi commented, “this vote is nothing more than cynical political posturing before the European elections. The matter of abortion is not in the ambit of the European Parliament. Institutions at...

Rome, 6th April 2024 The Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe (FAFCE) is proud to be a part of the coalition committed to the universal abolition of surrogacy. Hosted by the Casablanca Declaration, the first day of the International Conference in Rome...

Dublin, 20th March 2024 – In a momentous decision that marks a sorrowful day for our country, the Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying has recommended the legalisation of assisted suicide and euthanasia in Ireland. In other words, the Committee believes the state...

PRESS RELEASE from FAFCE Irish referendum on family and motherhood: “common sense is back” Brussels, 11th of March 2024 The people of the Republic of Ireland rejected proposed constitutional changes during two referendum votes on Friday. Family networks were crucial...

On International Women’s Day, the proposed referendum to redefine the family in the Irish Constitution has been resoundingly defeated. Our country has shown its commitment to the traditional understanding of the family as based on marriage. This vote stands as a...

The proposed Family amendment to the Constitution diminishes the unique importance of the relationship between marriage and family in the eyes of Society and State and is likely to lead to a weakening of the incentive for young people to marry. The Care amendment...

On the 8th of March, we are presented with a pivotal choice in two critical referendums. The first proposal seeks to fundamentally alter the Constitution's understanding of the family, shifting from its traditional foundation in marriage to a vague notion of “other...

PRESS RELEASE I Surrogate motherhood: it’s high time for a universal ban In his address to the Diplomatic Corps, Pope Francis made an appeal along the same lines as the Casablanca Declaration, which will be the subject of an international conference in Rome on 5 and 6...

Natasha Kavanagh from the Natural Women's Council spoke at our 2023 AGM about the recent changes in the sex education courses in Irish schools. Here are some of the resources mentioned in the video:...

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce tells the story of her bravery at being arrested for praying for life. The talk took place on the 1st of July in Dublin, before the Rally for Life, and it was hosted by Family Solidarity as part of the Rally Fest.

The new sex education programmes in Irish schools completely ignore long-term commitments and marriage. They promote the bare minimum, i.e. consent, rather than what is necessary for a goo relationship, i.e. commitment. Sex education programmes are constantly updated...

The number of people homeless has reached a new record high, according to recent data from the Department of Housing. As a response, politicians and activists are asking the Government to provide new social and affordable housing but the problem cannot be solved...

This year’s Rally for Life will take place in Dublin on Saturday 1st July. Following the success of last year's event featuring Dr. Dermot Kearney, Family Solidarity is thrilled to host a pre-rally talk with a special guest from England: Isabel Vaughan-Spruce....

The number of marriages that took place in 2022 saw a significant increase on 2021, but this was mainly due to the postponement of weddings during the Covid pandemic. Overall, the marriage rate in Ireland remains low compared with a few decades ago. In all, 23,173...

Here you can watch Bénédicte Colin's presentation on the European Certificate of Parenthood.  

The European Commission is trying to circumvent the national legislation on parentage and create a cross-border “European Certificate of Parenthood” that would be valid in all the European Union state members. This means that those states that do not recognise...

FAFCE contributed to a call for feedbacks of the European Commission following its proposal to update of its 2011 Directive against human trafficking, very much welcomed in light of the evolution of the forms of exploitation for the past decade. FAFCE feedback to the...

Watch our heartwarming and informative webinar with Anna Buday and her family on World Down Syndrome Day. With five children, including one with Down Syndrome, Anna has a wealth of knowledge and experience to share. During this webinar, Anna and her family shared...

There is an urgent need to protect children from online pornography, according to a new report by the UK Children’s Commissioner. To tackle this problem, obligatory age verification to watch porn will be introduced soon in France. Ireland should consider something...

3rd of February 2023, Brussels “A child is not an entitlement and parenthood is not a right; rather, a child is a gift and parenthood is a responsibility.” These were the words of FAFCE’s President, Vincenzo Bassi, in an open letter reacting to the announcement of an...

Please find here our latest newsletter.

Brussels, 9 January 2023 “With his words of today to the Diplomatic Corps, the Holy Father reminded the whole world of the centrality of the demographic question, particularly visible in Italy and throughout southern Europe. The demographic issue concerns all, and it...

The Government has approved a legislative proposal to recognise and facilitate what amounts to commercial surrogacy abroad, a practice banned almost everywhere in Europe because it commodifies babies and exploits low-income women. The Government denies it will...

The Master of the Rotunda, Professor Fergal Malone, has revealed that up to 95pc of parents who are informed by the hospital that their unborn babies have Down Syndrome (DS) opt for abortion. This is a horrifying figure that appears to have soared since the abortion...

Here you can find the recording of the talk on "The Synod in Ireland" given by Dr John Murray (DCU) at the Family Solidarity 2022 AGM, 3rd December, in Dublin.  

Dr John Murray (DCU) will give a talk on the "Synod in Ireland" on Saturday 3rd December at 12.00 in Ely House, Dublin 2.   This event is part of the Family Solidarity 2022 AGM.  We will begin with Mass in the chapel at 11.00, then the talk, which is open to everyone,...

A moral transformation, rather than social policies, will stop the de-population bomb claims Dr Nicholas Eberstadt, an expert in demography, in a new interview called the ‘De-Population Bomb’. For years we have been warned of the dangers of an increasing world...

FAFCE held yesterday a conference at the European Parliament on « Challenges and dangers of children exposure to sexual explicit content in the digital era”, hosted by MEP François-Xavier Bellamy (EPP, France). Participants and Members of the European Parliament had...

Family Solidarity and the Synodal Pathway An open letter to the Bishops of Ireland   Dublin, 18th October 2022   Your Excellencies, Since when the national and the worldwide synodal pathways were announced last year, Family Solidarity has been actively...

The European Commission published on the 11th of May 2022 a proposal of Recommendation laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse. This new piece of legislation aims to resolve the difficult implementation of the 2011 Child Sexual Abuse Directive by...

This Dail is back in session. What are some of the issues we should be looking out for in the autumn term? One is the promised “hate crimes” bill which may affect freedom of religious expression. Another, not totally unrelated, is the proposal to ban pro-lifers from...

When we see reports about anti-social behaviour and criminality – for example, the ramming of a garda car in Dublin this week – no-one ever explores whether there might be a link with family breakdown. It would be surprising if this was not sometimes the case. Plenty...

Almost half of children born in the UK in 2000 did not grow up with both of their biological parents throughout their childhood, according to a new report by the Children’s Commissioner, Rachel de Souza. This is because so many are born to lone parents, or else see...

The Rally for Life will take place in Dublin on the 2nd July and, for this occasion, Family Solidarity has organised a special pre-rally talk with Dr Dermot Kearney. Dr Kearney has saved dozens of babies in England, helping their mothers who had taken an abortion pill...

New figures from the Central Statistics Office throw light on the changing nature of marriage in Ireland. The number of marriages went up in 2021, however, it hasn’t reached the pre-Covid levels.  Many Catholic weddings were postponed last year but they are the most...

Ireland had one of the lowest marriage rates in Europe in 2020, according to new data from Eurostat. This was the year Covid emerged, so marriage rates dropped everywhere, but Ireland was particularly bad, and the rate was already low. Figures from Eurostat show that...

Rosary and get together for families. Sunday 15th May, at 3.00 pm in Dublin 4. For more info contact familysolidarityireland@gmail.com

Vác, 6 May 2022 FAFCE Board gathered in the city of Vác (Hungary), from the 4th to the 6th of May. These three days meeting represents an important moment of dialogue for Catholic Family Associations in Europe, during which the main guidelines of their action at the...

Officials from three Government Departments have expressed great doubt about the possibility of legislating for the recognition of international commercial surrogacy contracts in Ireland. Besides practical difficulties, it would create a double standard if commercial...

Please find here our latest newsletter.

The new assisted reproduction legislation will allow the use of sperm or eggs from a deceased person. Fatherless children will be created intentionally. The Irish government has approved the publication of the Assisted Human Reproduction Bill 2022 that will legislate...

Religious practice makes us happy, says Laurie Santos who teaches classes on the psychology of happiness at Yale University. In an interview with the New York Times magazine, the popular cognitive scientist discusses what contributes to our happiness and, among other...

Exit International, one of the most radical assisted suicide organisations in the world, has launched an Irish branch. They want almost no limits on euthanasia/assisted suicide. They believe that any adult who wishes to kill themselves, and is mentally competent,...

Here below you can find the recording of the webinar on "The Synodal Pathway" organised by Family Solidarity on February 3rd 2022. The slides used by Dr Brady and Bishop Leahy can be downloaded here.

Family Solidarity invites you to a webinar on “The Irish Synodal Pathway” with Bishop Brendan Leahy (Bishop of Limerick) and Dr Nicola Brady (Chair of the Steering Committee). Thursday 3rd February 2022 at 7.00 pm on Zoom. Request link by email...

Dear Mr. President, Following your speech at the European Parliament on the occasion of the start of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union, we would like to express our concerns about some contradictions in your statement. While on the one hand...

In many countries, Christian women and girls suffer abduction, rape, forced conversion and forced marriage, according to a new report. But social stigma and fear of reprisal from perpetrators keep their stories mostly unheard. The “Hear her cries: Kidnapping, forced...

The College of Psychiatrists of Ireland (College of Psychiatrists) has warned that physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia (PAS-E) is not compatible with good medical care and that its introduction in Ireland could place vulnerable patients at risk. PAS-E is also...

Here you can find the recording of the webinar "Family and Synodality: a call for participation". These are the Powerpoint slides showed by St Nathalie.

  The synodality is a call for mutual listening between all the members of the Church, and inspired by the Holy Spirit. Encouraged by the opening of the Synod, family associations wish to become protagonists of the synodal movement initiated by Pope Francis. In...

On 14th October, Family Solidarity hosted a webinar with Jason Osborne, journalist with the Irish Catholic. The title of the talk was "The Synodal Church of the 21st century: a young, married man's prespective". A recording of the webinar can be watched...

Family Solidarity webinar: What should we expect from the Synod? Speaker: Jason Osborne 14th October 2021 at 7.30 Pm (Irish Time) on Zoom Request link by email to familysolidarityireland@gmail.com Jason Osborne is a journalist with The Irish Catholic newspaper. Before...

Our newsletter n. 93 is now available. You can find it here.

Day for Life is celebrated annually by the Catholic Church in Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. It is a day dedicated to raising awareness of the meaning and value of human life at every stage and in every condition. This year’s Day for Life will be celebrated in...

All around the Western world, people are marrying later or not at all. The average Irish couple is now well into their 30s by the time they tie the knot, and marriage rates in Ireland have plunged since the 1970s. A similar pattern exists in Canada, where a new...

Pope Francis has denounced the modern “throwaway culture” that discards unwanted human beings through abortion and euthanasia. In a wide-ranging interview with Spain’s COPE radio station, the pope once again compared the practice of abortion to hiring a hit man to...

In many countries, including Ireland, not enough babies are being born to prevent the population ageing and declining. Many factors are at work, including the cost of living. But another, linked factor, is that increasingly we prioritise work over family, that is...

There was a huge increase of applications for divorce last year. It was the highest number since divorce was introduced in 1997. There are many reasons why we should be worried about it, not least because children affected by parental divorce have a higher risk of...

The Private Member’s Bill to legalise assisted suicide and euthanasia, proposed by Deputy Gino Kenny, has been rejected by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice as it contains serious flaws and it was criticised by the majority of the public submissions,...

A total of 6,577 women had an abortion in Ireland in 2020, according to a report presented today by the Department of Health. That is slightly down on the figure of 6,666 in 2019, but the ratio (number of abortions per live births) is up, because fewer women became...

Once upon a time, not so long ago, Sunday was considered a day of rest. But now, like every other day of the week, it has basically been captured by the demands of commerce. So there is no longer a communal day of rest in a lot of countries. This needs to change....

On the 26th and 27th of May 2021, FAFCE held its biannual Board Meeting, gathering its 28 Member, Associated and Observer Organisations from 18 European Countries. This year, the event featured three guest speakers. Fr. Martin Michalíček, Secretary General of Council...

INVITATION | European Sunday Alliance Webinar on ‘The right to disconnect and the need for a European weekly common day of rest’ (Tuesday, 1 June 2021 at 12 pm Irish time) The Steering Group of the European Sunday Alliance invites you to its Webinar on “The right to...

One of the great taboos in modern Irish debate is pointing out that family structure matters, and makes a difference to the lives of children. Such a declaration is considered to be offensive and judgemental. But suppose it is true, and suppose certain family...

On the 13th May, the Federation of Catholic Family Associations hosted a Webinar entitled ‘The Family: antidote to loneliness, beyond the pandemic’.  Maria Steen spoke on behalf of Family Solidarity.   AGENDA Opening Address Mr Vincenzo Bassi, FAFCE President...

What effect did Covid-19 have on the number of weddings that took place in Ireland last year compared with 2019? As you can imagine, a very big effect. In fact, the figure halved, but the reduction in the amount of Catholic weddings was bigger than in the number of...

Brussels, 12 May 2021 On March 24th, 2021, the European Commission published its proposal for a European Child Guarantee, a key part of the European Union’s effort to eliminate child poverty and social exclusion. A previous FAFCE article detailed the measures forseen...

The Holy Father has designated the year from 8th December 2020 to 8th December 2021 as the Year of Saint Joseph. Family Solidarity hosted a Webinar on the 13th March 2021 featuring Father Jesse Maingot O.P. who talked on Saint Joseph in his role in the family....

On the 13th May, the Federation of Catholic Family Associations will host a Webinar entitled ‘The Family: antidote to loneliness, beyond the pandemic’. Loneliness is a deep disease of our era, as prophetically announced by Pope Francis shortly before the beginning of...

A constant theme of The Iona Institute, indeed one of the chief reasons it was founded, is to point out that family structure matters, and specifically that when mothers and fathers raise their children together, the children are likely to do better in life. A major...

The chair of the Law Society’s Family and Child Law Committee, Helen Coughlan, has said that Ireland has been left with “third world infrastructure” in the family courts and that urgent investment is needed to prevent children and vulnerable people from paying the...

On a regular basis, there are calls for the Irish State to invest more in day-care so that parents can afford to go out to work. The underlying assumption all the time is that this is something most parents want. This is a highly dubious proposition. In 2013, The Iona...

The Holy Father has designated the year from 8th December 2020 to 8th December 2021, as the  Year of Saint Joseph. Family Solidarity will host a Webinar on the 13th March 2021 featuring Father Colm Mannion O.P.  who will Talk on Saint Joseph in his role in the family....

Last year about this time, my husband and I were eagerly anticipating a weekend away at the Worldwide Marriage Encounter renewal retreat that we’ve attended for the past three years with about 100 other married couples. At the end of February, my mother traveled up...

Brussels, 11th February 2021 The current pandemic puts a new light on the daily struggles experienced by parents when balancing their work and family time, and especially for mothers. Imposed lockdown on workers made suddenly more concrete the weight of unpaid work...

Thanks to prenatal screening, far fewer babies with Down Syndrome are being born than was once the case. A recent study shows that across Europe as a whole, the reduction is in the order of half, but in Ireland prior to the introduction of abortion two years ago, it...

This is the Family Solidarity's submission on the assisted suicide and euthanasia Bill: Family Solidarity submission

On the Saturday 13th February 2021 at 11 am (Irish Time)  we will host a webinar  featuring the President of the Federation of Catholic Family Associations of Europe,  Vincenzo  Bassi and the immediate Past President  Antoine Renard who will describe  the Federation's...

A year of graces After the experience of 2020, many people are wondering what to expect in this year beginning. Of course we cannot tell what the future holds, but we can be sure that this year will be a time of many and great graces since the Holy Father has declared...

It goes against the lazy stereotype of the traditionalist, bread-winning male and the subservient wife who does all the housework, but new research has found that men who attend religious services regularly spend more time doing housework than most other men. The...

This is the text of the letter sent by our chairman to the RTE Complaints Department   Dear Sir/Madam We refer to the NYE Countdown Show fronted by Kathryn Thomas and Deirdre O'Kane broadcast on 31/12/2020 that contained two items described as 'Waterford...

The lockdown has not worsened marriage, according to a new study. Fewer parents than before reported that they were considering divorce and 20pc said that their relationship has improved. What is the effect of the lockdown on marriage and relationships? When it began...

More than 90 per cent of married parents will still be together in five years’ time compared with just three-quarters of cohabiting families, new research has found. Pro-marriage campaigners say the study proves that an official commitment ‘boosts stability and acts...

FAFCE WEBINAR on the EU recovery and its investment in the family: “Without families and family associations there is no future for Europe” In cooperation with our Spanish member Foro de la Familia, FAFCE organised an online event on 3 December 2020 to discuss the EU...

This is a talk given on the 1st December by Dr Léopold Vanbellingen of the European Institute of Bioethics (IEB) in Brussels. Léopold Vanbellingen works as...

Press Release COMECE-FAFCE reflection on the role of the elderly in times of demographic change “Elderly people are a gift and a resource, [...] they cannot be seen as separated from communities”, states FAFCE, together with the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences...

The Netherlands Minister of Health, Hugo de Jonge, announced on October 12 that their government will amend or re-interpret the euthanasia law to permit child euthanasia. Please sign this petition and express your opposition to child euthanasia: ...