Parishes in Ireland’s largest diocese are being asked to recommend what nearby parishes they could partner with, as Dublin diocese plans for renewal of faith communities. The almost 200 parishes across the diocese have been gathering the past two months to discuss how the diocese’s resources can be best used, as the Church tackles the…
Month: June 2022
Inspirational human rights priest celebrates his diamond jubilee
Well-known priest Msgr Raymond Murray has celebrated sixty years of ministering in the Archdiocese of Armagh. It was while chaplain to prisoners in Armagh that the then Fr Murray first began speaking up about the conditions. He also gave evidence in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in the case the Irish Government brought…
From Admiral Brown to the Belgrano: Irish aspects of Argentina’s history
Ireland and Argentina in the twentieth century: Diaspora, diplomacy, dictatorship, Catholic mission and the Falklands crisis by Dermot Keogh (Cork University Press, €39.00/£33.50) Of all the countries of South America, Argentina is the one with which Ireland has the most historic and ethnic connections. One has only to think of William Brown from Foxford, who…
Abortion campaigners ‘dishonest’ about disability abortions
A pro-life group has said the number of abortions for babies with Down Syndrome has tripled for women travelling from Ireland since 2018, and that pro-choice groups are misrepresenting figures. Spokeswoman for the Life Institute Megan Ní Scealláin said that abortion campaigners, including the National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI), were misrepresenting figures regarding women…
Faith is first in family for Tyrone’s Peter Harte
The ultimate goal of marriage to Tyrone star Peter Harte’s mind is “to get each other to heaven”. Speaking recently in Drumragh parish, Omagh, Co. Tyrone, Mr Harte said that just as you’re trying to get your spouse to heaven in marriage, you’re trying to get your children there too. Faith “Our challenge now for…
US Supreme Court vindicates football coach’s prayers
The US Supreme Court expanded the religious rights of government employees Monday as it ruled in favour of a Christian former high school football coach in Washington who sued after being suspended from his job for refusing to stop praying on the field after games. The Supreme Court justices in a 6-3 decision sided with…
Minister strongly criticised for subjecting Catholic schools to ‘trial by media’
A Catholic primary schools’ body has criticised Minister Josepha Madigan for subjecting four Catholics schools to “trial by media” by publicly “naming and shaming” them. The minister for special education’s decision to put schools in the spotlight over disputes regarding provision of special education classes was “strongly objected to” by the Catholic Primary Schools Management…
Repeal of Roe v Wade gives us hope
As usual, people are being given the wrong impression by our media about the implications of the overturning by the US Supreme Court of Roe v Wade, the 1973 ruling that effectively made abortion legal up to birth in all 50 states of America. To judge by some of what you have heard or read,…
The role of religion in happiness
A great many people would probably acknowledge the pursuit of happiness as the goal undergirding many of the choices they make as they live out their lives. However, how many of us truly find it? It’s not as easy a thing to come by as many of us have heard our whole lives. So when someone…
Worker harassed for Catholic faith compensated
Liam Fitzpatrick A Catholic Polish cleaner received €15,000 compensation after he was repeatedly harassed at work for his faith between October 12 and October 22, 2020. In one instance, a colleague allegedly laughed at a tattoo of Jesus on Andrzej Waszkiewicz as he was changing. Mr Waskiewicz also alleged that this colleague ridiculed his race…