Church leaders have denounced a double-headed suicide attack on Christian-owned restaurants in Qamishli, Syria, that left 20 people dead and more than 40 injured. “It was a sinister message the terrorists wanted to send to the Christians of this city, sowing death and tears,” Syriac Catholic Patriarch Ignatius Joseph III Younan said, describing the massacre,…
The state of Utah can end its contract with Planned Parenthood, which is paid for with federal funds, a judge has ruled. US District Judge Clark Waddoups, who previously blocked an effort by Utah governor Gary Herbert to defund the Utah affiliate of Planned Parenthood, has ruled that “these are the types of decisions that…
The leading US Democratic candidate has said she believes ISIS’ campaign against Christians constitutes genocide. Hillary Clinton was asked at a New Hampshire meeting whether she would join faith and secular leaders from across the political divide “in calling what is happening by its proper name, genocide”. She replied that she would do so “because…
South Africa’s Catholic justice and peace commission has called for a halt to nuclear procurement plans and a referendum on the issue, claiming that the risks of adding nuclear energy to the financially beleaguered country’s power grid outweigh its economic benefits. According to a statement from the commission’s chairman, Kimberley’s Bishop Abel Gabuza, the country…
‘An ocean of mercy transcends human misery’ – Pope God’s mercy transcends the misery that so often marks human experience, Pope Francis has said. “A torrent of misery, swollen by sin, seems to contradict the fullness of time brought by Christ”, he said in a homily at St Peter’s Basilica on January 1, asking, “how can the fullness of time have come when…
The coffin of Gisela Mota, mayor of Temixco, Mexico, is carried from her home. Ms Mota was killed on January 2, one day after taking her oath of office. Cuernavaca’s Bishop Ramon Castro Castro said the murder had clearly been intended to send the message “if you don’t cooperate with organised crime, look at what’s…
The Life and Struggles of Our Mother Walatta Petros written by Galawdewos, translated and edited by Wendy Laura Belcher & Michael Kleiner (Princeton University Press, £27.95) Here is a really remarkable book on which to begin the New Year, a book that will open up for many a new horizon of Christian culture and faith.…
Despite ‘diversity and fragmentation’, the quality of the past week’s dramatic offerings could draw a wide audience, writes Brendan O’Regan With the diversity and fragmentation of TV viewing it’s rare that one programme generates a high degree of anticipation any more, and rare that a large percentage of the viewing population would tune in to…
Dear Editor, In The Irish Catholic (31/12/2015) George Hook was like a firework going off for New Year’s Eve. Few people expected his happy call back to faith. Welcome to the fold, George. George is the type who would take up with gusto the challenge of moderns who claim, as he suggests, that “it is…
The Church teaches that the Eucharist strengthens our charity, which tends to be weakened in daily life, writes Cathal Barry The Church teaches that Holy Communion “augments” the recipient’s union with Christ. “The principal fruit of receiving the Eucharist in Holy Communion is an intimate union with Christ Jesus,” the Catechism of the Catholic Church…
Peter Costello
Brendan O’Regan
Courtney McGrail
Cathal Barry