The following email was sent to a researcher for the radio show "i-Life with Paul Gill", in response to a request for a statement on CountMeOut.ie. -------------------- From: To: Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:05:05 +0100 Subject: Countmeout Dear Dan, Further to our telephone conversation, Mr Martin Long, Director, Catholic Communications Office, has asked me to forward the following to you. One cannot undo the historical fact of baptism and membership of the Christian family. Baptism is rooted in witness to God's life and teaching and commitment to baptism also involves the promise of parent and guardians to support the child in their faith as they grow up. The Church believes in religious freedom and accepts the freedom of people to choose their sincerely held religious affiliation, or to choose to be non-affiliated. The Church views with great sadness and is itself wounded when any of her members have been offended to the point of leaving and rejecting the Church. In June 2009, when he established the Year for Priests, Pope Benedict XVI reminded us that the Church has always called on the faithful to discern and distinguish between the deplorable actions of a few and the generosity and fidelity of many. MARTIN LONG Director Catholic Communications Office Irish Bishops' Conference Columba Centre St Patrick's College Maynooth Co Kildare