Chaldean Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil told Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that about 9,000 Christian families have returned to their homes on the Nineveh Plains after fleeing a decade ago, when ISIS took the region. In June of 2014, the Islamist extremist group captured Mosul and the villages to the north and…
International charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has revealed the agency spent €144.5 million over 5,000 projects in 138 countries in 2023, according to a recent report. “Once again, this year, these numbers reflect a true miracle”, said the head of the organisation, Irishwoman Regina Lynch. The international charity counts on “the generosity…
We all like things neat, uncomplicated and in good order. But as we step over the threshold into the virtual world created by artificial intelligence, it seems to me that inclination may be more problematic than ever. Over the past few weeks, I’ve seen a number of images circulating on social media. A baby dolphin,…
Luca Attanasio Father Gabriel Romanelli, an Argentinean of Italian origin, belongs to the religious family of the Incarnate Word (Ive). He is the only Catholic parish priest in the entire Gaza Strip. His parish, dedicated to the Holy Family, is located in the al-Zaitoun quarter of Gaza city (north of the Strip) and, before the…
The success of the first ‘Intentional Young Adult Ministry’ gathering, that took place on June 22 in Co. Kildare, shows a promising future for youth ministry in Ireland, as young adults continue to inspire and support one another in their faith journeys. This initiative, hosted by the Irish Episcopal Conference (IEC), reflects a hopeful and…
Q: A Catholic doctor who has to prescribe birth control pills as part of his job does not agree with the Church’s teaching on contraception. He says the Bible does not talk about contraception. If contraception is stopped completely, abortions will go through the roof. Doesn’t it make sense for Third World countries to use…
A surge in kidnappings has hit Nigeria’s Catholic clergy, with two more priests abducted within the past two weeks. Fr Christian Ike – the parish priest of St Matthew’s Church in Ajalli, Anambra State, was taken on June 16 alongside Fr Ogbonnia Aneke after a church service. The kidnapping was confirmed by the Chancellor of…
Keeping the Faith, by Alf McCreary (Messenger Publications, €14.95 / £12.95) This is a sombre and sobering book, one dealing with the Northern situation that could have driven a saint to despair, but it is also a book that carries a final message to never despair, however appalling and inhuman the situation. Alf McCreary tells…
A baby was screaming rather loudly at Mass the other day – so loudly from the church porch that the priest’s final blessing was being drowned out. So, he paused, smiled widely, and declared: “When I hear a child crying in church, I know the Church has a future. And it always does.” But sadly,…
What is Rishi Sunak thinking? With the Conservative Party well and truly tanking in the polls, hanging on to only its most loyal voting base and an election a mere fortnight away, he chooses to announce that he is not opposed to assisted suicide. The Conservative Party, after 14 years in power, overseeing and implementing…
Renata Steffens
Peter Costello
Martina Purdy