A court has acquitted a Catholic priest and a pregnancy counsellor of crimes in connection with the “harassment of abortion clinic clients”. District Judge David Wain February 16 dismissed charges against Fr Sean Gough and Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, in a matter of seconds, in a hearing at Birmingham Magistrates Court. Ms Vaughan-Spruce, co-director of March for…
An independent commission’s report on the sexual abuse of children in the Catholic Church in Portugal “points to the urgent need to combat whatever fosters silence from those who have been impacted by abuse,” said Cardinal Seán O’Malley of Boston. Silence “impedes effective prevention and the administration of justice,” said the cardinal, who is president…
It’s over a year now since the brutal war in Ukraine commenced, and it’s striking what a unifying effect this has had on Europe – and on domestic politics. Left and right, in the main, are in agreement about supporting Ukraine’s as a sovereign nation; the ubiquity of Ukrainian flags from Cork to Copenhagen attests…
Synod can’t cast Christian teachings on marriage into doubt, writes David Quinn Some readers of this newspaper will have taken part in the parish gatherings that are part of a worldwide ‘synodal process’ that is underway at the instruction of Pope Francis. Parish gatherings fed into diocese-level reports, which then fed into a national report.…
Faith in Film The Oscar’s ‘best picture’ for 1954, On the Waterfront, is probably best remembered for Marlon Brando’s ground-breaking performance. His visceral but measured portrayal of a sensitive ex-prize fighter deserves all its acclaim. What’s less well known is that the film was at least partly based on the life of a real priest…
The government in Honduras is “a disaster”, plagued by infighting and corruption, an Irish missionary bishop has warned. The Church is a lonely voice of stability and justice in the Central American country, Bishop Michael Lenihan OFM told The Irish Catholic. The Limerick-born bishop was speaking ahead of taking up his role as archbishop of…
Staff Reporter An ancient codex containing what is believed to be the earliest, most complete copy of the Hebrew Bible ever discovered is expected to go for $50 million at auction this May. ‘Codex Sassoon’, which dates back to around the 9th or 10th Century, is due to come up for auction at Sotheby’s in…
Well-known Christian psychologist and political commentator Dr Jordan Peterson has criticised a video which advises Irish teachers what to do when pupils want to identify as the opposite gender. Taking to Twitter, Dr Peterson told his 3.9 million followers that the content of the video used by the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) was “faux…
Two Nicaraguan priests, part of the group of more than 200 political prisoners released February 9 by the regime of Daniel Ortega, celebrated Mass with their compatriots in exile at Sts Agatha Church in Sweetwater, Florida. After the Mass, Fr Benito Enrique Martínez, from the Diocese of León, and Fr José Luis Díaz, from the…
Saint of the week On February 23, the Church brings St Polycarp to our attention. An unusual name, Polycarp is one of those ‘titans’ of the early Church, a man who learned from those who had walked directly with Christ himself during his time on earth. Born in 69AD, little enough survives of him and…
Mary Kenny
David Quinn
Ruadhán Jones
Chai Brady