ATLANTA (GA)
CNN
August 25, 2018
By Kara Fox
Leixlip, Ireland – Fiona and her husband aren’t religious. They don’t go to Mass, take communion or recite the Holy Rosary.
But twice in recent years, the couple have driven halfway across Ireland to baptize their children at their families’ community parishes.
The reason? Their children’s education.
The sacrament — and the certificate that comes with it — has long held the key for parents hoping to secure a place for a child’s first day at school in Ireland, where approximately 90% of primary schools have a Catholic ethos.
Although those schools are state-funded, their Catholic Church patrons set the admission guidelines, giving Catholic children priority enrollment over non-Catholics in a crowded system.
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