Fine Gael to push ahead on referendum The visit of Pope Francis for the World Meeting of Families is set to be overshadowed by the Government’s likely push for a referendum on abortion next year, senior Church sources have indicated to The Irish Catholic. Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar – the man tipped by many…
An Irish priest working in Paris has said that living under the threat of terrorist attacks has become the new reality for the people of France. Fr Dwayne Gavin, chaplain to the Irish Community in Paris, told The Irish Catholic that there was a sense that the latest terrorist shooting was “inevitable” and “it’s going…
The Oscars were in town this week as eight families attended the screening of their short films at the annual LauraLynn Oscars Night. Pictured are Oliver (8), Hollie (6) and Maura (8) Quail. Each film was directed and produced by the children and families along with the support of Windmill Lane Studios and script writers…
A leading canon lawyer has warned that prenuptial agreements could invalidate marriages, as farmers have indicated their support for such agreements being introduced into Irish law. Research from Macra na Feirme conducted at livestock marts over recent weeks has found that 72% of surveyed farmers believe prenuptial agreements should have a place in Irish law,…
It has been a bad few weeks for those of us who value life from conception to natural death. First, there was a huge backlash against the National Maternity Hospital being situated in the grounds of St Vincent’s Hospital. The perceived problem was that there might be any Catholic influence whatsoever in the place, particularly…
Greg Daly considers the recommendations of Ireland’s latest ‘Citizens’ Assembly’ If there remained any plausible claim that Ireland’s so-called ‘Citizens’ Assembly’ is a genuinely representative body, rather than, as Senator Michael McDowell put it last year “a ridiculous sham … convened on the basis of a polling company’s random sample of persons”, it was demolished…
The debate over Ireland’s new maternity hospital is really about abortion, writes David Quinn Nuns in Ireland have been so stereotyped in Irish public debate that they have been reduced to the role of the villain in an old-fashioned Hammer horror movie. The archetype of this villainous nun is the character played by Geraldine McEwan…
Eugene Duffy should we take the sacraments out of the schools? asks Eugene Duffy The role of religion and the time allocated to it in the primary school curriculum continues to be a point of controversy in many quarters. At the Government level, the Minister, Mr Richard Bruton, continues the approach of his predecessors in attempting to…
Brendan O’Reilly The process of admitting new Catholics to the Church is centred on forming disciples writes Brendan O’Reilly Infant baptism in the Church has been practised since apostolic times and prior to 1972 if an adult sought baptism the ritual used was the Rite of Infant Baptism. Such adult baptisms were often celebrated privately,…
The two Bishops of Derry are undertaking a 30-mile walk this week in honour of the city’s patron, St Columba, and to promote reconciliation within their community. Bishop Donal McKeown and CofI Bishop Ken Good begin their journey today at St Columba’s birthplace at Gartan in Co. Donegal and their destination is St Augustine’s Church…
Michael Kelly
Mags Gargan
Courtney McGrail
Greg Daly
Breda O'Brien
David Quinn