Parents told Catholic school patronage change would mean no Christmas celebration

Parents at two Catholic primary schools in Dublin have been told that children won't celebrate Christmas and other religious festivals under a potential change of patronage.

Letters from the schools stated that Christmas, St Patrick's Day and Shrove Tuesday would not be marked if their Catholic patronage were replaced, reports RTÉ News. There are plans for one of eight Catholic primary schools in the Portmarnock-Malahide-Kinsealy to come under new patronage. The potential patrons are Educate Together, Community National Schools or An Foras Pátrúnachta. Schools run by these organisations do currently celebrate Christmas and other Christian festivals, as well as significant days in other religious calendars. The letter to parents at one of the schools, Scoil Naomh Mearnóg, said that parents would have to take over preparations for First Holy Communion and Confirmation. It also warned that phrases including 'Dia Dhuit' and Buíochas le Dia' could be done away with under a new patron. Parents in the diocese will get to vote on the patronage issue. The change is due after a survey by the Department of Education found that there was a demand for non-Catholic primary schooling in the area. In response, Educate Together has said that its schools "mark all kinds of celebrations". "Educate Together schools are based on an equality principle in which the identity of all children are guaranteed equal respect," its CEO Paul Rowe told the Irish Examiner. "That means the schools mark all kinds of celebrations, religious and non-religious cultural events in an appropriate way."