Speaking after the publication of the Child Law Project’s latest report, a report which concluded that the State child care system in the country is in “crisis”, Aontú leader Peadar Toibin said that he has “no doubt” about the recent judgment of the advisory body and that it’s high time Government started asking very “serious”…
Schools from the Derry Diocese are getting ready to draw God in an annual fun day of art and faith. The 6th annual World Drawing God Day will take place on November 14, when children from all around the globe use art to express their faith inspired by the book of author Karen Kiefer. Thérèse Ferry,…
Speaking in advance of the US presidential election, Fr Gary Chamberland CSC, an American priest who has been ministering for four years in Ireland, said that Irish people follow the latest political trends in the US like “it’s a sport” and that people in the country feel that it’s “their election” because of the implications…
Here’s a fascinating theme: “Family Values: the Catholic Church and the Mafia”. This was the subject of Fr Alexander Lucie-Smith’s address at last week’s Catholic Writers’ Guild in London. Fr Alexander, born in Malta, is knowledgeable about Sicilian (and Calabrian society), and has written several novels intertwining the Mafia, the local priesthood, and the people.…
In a time when children walk around dressed as witches and ghouls, it is good to have an alternative celebration. Ireland saw many All Saints parties happening in the past few weeks, giving children an opportunity to have fun and wear costumes, as well as cultivate their faith. Catholic Mothers Ireland organised a party in…
I was honoured to speak at a ‘Catholic Careers Summit’ for young people recently in Dublin’s Larkhill-Whitehall parish. This event brought young adult Catholics together to think about their careers in the context of their faith. What would be the challenges for living their faith while practising their chosen profession? And what opportunities might their work offer to bring themselves…
As I am writing this column, the final ballots in the US election are yet to be cast. The result appears to be hanging in the balance, with polls suggesting that those favouring one candidate over the other are almost evenly divided. Like many observers, I have watched with interest the somewhat tumultuous nature of…
The Disciples of the Divine Master congregation recently celebrated a thanksgiving Mass in Athlone, where they first established the congregation in Ireland, to mark the centenary of their founding in 1924 by Blessed James Alberione. The Mass, led by Bishop Kevin Doran, was attended by clergy and a choir from St Peter and Paul’s Parish.…
The recent visit of St Bernadette’s relics to Ireland, culminating in the Cork and Ross and Elphin Dioceses, has drawn thousands of the faithful from across the country. This powerful event offered a unique opportunity to connect with a saint whose life of quiet suffering and strong faith has inspired generations. Br Antony Sahayampillai, a…
Claire Brennan is a Catholic mother of four who was arrested in October last year while praying inside a so-called “safe-access zone” at Causeway Hospital in Derry. Brennan (52), of Doneysheil Road, Rasharkin, has a court date on December 2 and faces a fine up to £2,500 if convicted. In legal terms, the charge is that…
Brandon Scott
Renata Steffens
Mary Kenny
Senator Ronan Mullen
Maria Steen
Martina Purdy