 O'Donoghue was an opponent of attempts to secularise the culture of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Lancaster.For instance, he gave instructions to the schools to halt promotion of contraceptives, remove anti-Catholic books from their libraries and prevent the presentation of ideas contrary to the Catholic Church's official teaching.Some secularist critics, such as Barry Sheerman, a Labour MP and Steve Sinnott of the National Union of Teachers attacked him for his advocation of a Catholic education in Catholic schools.