Prayer: Our Dialogue with God by Pat Collins CM, preface by Cardinal Seán Brady (New Life Publications, €18.00) Fr Pat Collins has been popular with many people for many years. This book is an epitome of the qualities that they go to his books to find. He sets out in his new book, which contains…
Vatican says not enough evidence to try cardinal for sexual assault A preliminary Vatican investigation into allegations against Cardinal Marc Ouellet concluded there was not sufficient evidence to warrant opening up formal proceedings against the cardinal for sexual assault, a Vatican spokesman said. However, the Jesuit who did the investigation was a long-time associate of…
At the end of July, the Department of Education announced that the topic of pornography will be included in a revised curriculum to be taught in our schools. While there is nothing wrong with discussing the topic per se, there are concerns about how it will be taught – as something morally neutral, or worse…
The Vatican’s Communication Team for the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops has announced that the Continental Phase, which marks the second phase of the Church’s synodal process, will commence with a press conference explaining the mechanics of the next stage of the Church’s Synodal journey. The press conference will begin at 12pm Irish…
Ireland is a “haven” for human traffickers, with a “huge number” of them exploiting women, children and men, people working with survivors have warned. Serious concern has also been expressed at the failure of authorities to identify victims of child trafficking. Sr Eilis Coe RSC warned that there is a “huge demand” for the buying…
Religious sisters with a charism of carrying out door-to-door visitations have recently arrived in Ireland from the US, providing encouragement and support to already-busy priests. Speaking to The Irish Catholic newspaper, Sister Theresa Marie of the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate said that their experience so far has been “very encouraging” and that it’s been…
Sectarianism is more widespread than the actions of a few young people and political parties who “foment confrontation as a political weapon” bear their share of responsibility, Bishop Donal McKeown of Derry has said. His comments come in the wake of a controversial bonfire in Derry in which poppy wreaths, Union flags and an image…
A letter from over 500 young Catholics challenging the synod on a perceived desire among young people for liberal reform is on the agenda for the next meeting of the Irish bishops’ conference. Oisín Bridges, one of the letter’s organisers, said it is a “great sign” of leadership, to take on board the views of…
The Irish Government has raised the issue of the detention of an archbishop by Lebanese authorities while he was returning from Israel following a routine visit to his Episcopal See. Archbishop Moussa El-Hage of Haifa and the Holy Land was detained last month while bringing $460,000 (€451,000) in aid from the Lebanese diaspora in Israel…
When the news broke about the shocking, homicidal attack on the author Salman Rushdie in New York state, my mind went back to early 1989, soon after his controversial book The Satanic Verses was published. London It was, as I recall, a Sunday afternoon, and we were taking our ease in our London flat in…
Peter Costello
Ruadhán Jones
Chai Brady
Mary Kenny