A radio advertisement that reminds listeners about the true meaning of Christmas has been banned by Ireland’s broadcasting regulatory body.

It is not the first time that Veritas, a religious publisher and retailer owned by the Irish Catholic Bishops Conference, and the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) have clashed about Christmas advertising.

This time last year the BCI vetoed a Veritas advertisement because it used the word crib. Now it has pulled the latest efforts from the Catholic publisher – on the same grounds. Under the Republic’s laws using advertising for religious ends is not permitted.

The advertisement wording says: “Cakes and crackers, Santa and stockings, turkey and tinsel, mistletoe and mince pies and presents and puddings. Christmas: aren’t we forgetting something? This Christmas why not give a gift that means more?”

It then suggests gift items such as candles, books and artwork that are available from the Veritas shop.

It was due to be aired on RTÉ, the state broadcaster, which plays the Angelus at midday and 6pm every day as a reminder of the call to Catholic prayer Diarmuid Martin, the Archbishop of Dublin, called the ban bizarre. “Have we really forgotten what Christmas is all about?” he asked. “I sincerely hope there is room in legislation on broadcasting currently before the Oireachtas [parliament] that will see an end to bizarre interpretation of rules around religious advertising.”

Father Enda McDonagh, a theologian, said: “It sounds a bit crazy. There’s a little touch of anything to do with religion being no longer acceptable. This so-called pluralist Ireland might be pluralist for everybody except somebody who’s speaking reason about Christmas.”

The decision to reject the advertisement came after three unsuccessful attempts by an advertising agency contracted by Veritas to meet the wording requirements of the BCI. The BCI said that the phrases “Christmas: aren’t we forgetting something?”; “Why not give a gift that means more?” and “So to give a gift that means more,” “offend the legislation”.

Maura Hyland, the director of Veritas, noted the “myriad of adverts being broadcast for alcohol, for example, which are not creating difficulties for the BCI”.

The commission said that it had sought to reach a resolution with Veritas through alternative wording for the script, “an offer which to date has not been taken up”.