# Mary McAleese says infant baptism breaches children’s religious rights

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/its-just-nonsense-mary-mcaleese-claims-that-giving-infants-the-sacrament-of-baptism-breaches-their-human-rights-as-they-are-too-young-to-give-consent-her-controversial-view-has-sparked-angry-rea/
- Published: 2026-11-01T23:29:58+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-01T23:47:41+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16257367/Its-just-nonsense-Mary-McAleese-claims-giving-infants-sacrament-Baptism-breaches-human-rights-young-CONSENT-controversial-view-sparked-angry-reaction.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Cybersecurity, Technology, World

## Key points

- Mary McAleese says infant baptism raises human rights concerns.
- Her forthcoming book challenges the Church’s rules on baptism.
- Critics have rejected her argument.

## Summary

Former Irish president Mary McAleese argues in a forthcoming book that baptising infants without their informed consent breaches their human rights and limits their freedom of religion. Her claims have drawn criticism, including from Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín, and renew debate about children’s autonomy and the Catholic Church’s practices.

McAleese’s book, *The Baptism Bluff: Human Rights and the Canon Law of Baptism*, says Church rules treat baptismal promises as binding and require many young people to renew them at Confirmation. She says her criticism concerns the Church’s rules and their effects on members’ freedoms, not the sacramental meaning of infant baptism. A practising Catholic and former barrister with a doctorate in canon law, McAleese has previously challenged Church positions, including its exclusion of women from the priesthood.

---
Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.