The World Meeting of Families was “overshadowed” and “hijacked” by claims that Pope Francis had long been aware of sexual misconduct concerns about former US Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, Armagh’s Archbishop Eamon Martin has said. Speaking to Cruxnow.com, the Primate of All-Ireland praised the event as a Church event of “great joy and participation”, and said…
As the deadline for a deal on Britain’s controversial exit from the European Union looms, border parishioners are anxious about the uncertainty, priests have warned. Clones-based Msgr Richard Mohan told The Irish Catholic this week that there was “concern” in the parish, which is on the border between Co. Monaghan and Co. Fermanagh. He said…
EXCLUSIVE The government is relying on charities to help the most vulnerable citizens in the North because the social welfare system can’t cope, The Irish Catholic can reveal. Government offices are increasingly referring hard-pressed welfare recipients who are struggling to the Society of St Vincent de Paul to meet a shortfall caused by welfare reform.…
One of Ireland’s leading Islamic clerics has called for the release of Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian who has been tried for blasphemy. “I call for her release and I believe that she should be released. This is the right thing to do according to Islamic teaching,” Shayk Dr Umar Al-Qadri told The Irish Catholic.…
Ireland should keep its constitutional ban on blasphemy for the sake of social cohesion, especially at a time when Ireland’s demographic and religious landscape is changing, a leading priest-sociologist has said. Arguing that blasphemy, if not legally prohibited, “can be a serious source of disintegration in our society”, Mayo-based Jesuit Fr Micheál MacGréil, says that…
Virtually everyone taking part in the October 3-28 Synod of Bishops on young people has said that the presence of more than 30 young delegates inside the hall has altered the chemistry – it’s looser, more informal, more pumped-up, and above all, more raucous. The young people, participants say, let you know immediately which speeches…
West Dublin parishes have described as “shocking” the decision to close the capital’s largest direct provision centre, which could leave as many as 80 people homeless, and have urged the Government to reverse the decision. The 225 residents of Clondalkin Towers were told this month that the centre’s management company Fazyard Ltd., is pulling out…
The Holy Land – that place where God chose to be born amongst us – can be said to be a ‘fifth Gospel’ of sorts. It was in that land where the dramatic moments of salvation history were played out right from God’s Covenant with the ancient Israelites to the incarnation, life, death and resurrection…
Shusaku Endo, the Japanese author of the classic novel Silence (upon which Martin Scorsese based his movie) was a Catholic who didn’t always find his native land, Japan, sympathetic to his faith. He was misunderstood but kept his balance and good heart by placing a high value on levity. It was his way of integrating…
Dramatic changes to Mass times in Clogher diocese are already starting to pay dividends in terms of worshippers’ experience, diocesan administrator Msgr Joseph McGuinness has said. Noting that the changes, rolled out across the diocese earlier this month in response to declining numbers of clergy have been generally well received, Msgr McGuinness said it is…
Greg Daly
Colm Fitzpatrick
John L. Allen Jr.
Michael Kelly
Fr Ronald Rolheiser