First Holy Communion: Do Families Deserve Secular Alternatives to Religious Ceremonies? - 04/06/2026

With First Holy Communion season now concluded, attention is turning to the role the tradition continues to play in modern Irish life and whether it will remain as central in the years ahead.New census figures show a continued decline in the number of people identifying as Roman Catholic, prompting wider reflection on how religious traditions are evolving in Ireland.Dr Maedbh King of Trinity College says she has been considering the place of First Holy Communion in today’s society and that neither she nor her partner are religious and do not intend to raise their children in a faith, yet they are likely to be involved in school-based Communion preparations.She argues that preparation for the sacrament should take place outside of school hours, as is the case in other European countriesDr Maedbh King joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.