A veteran religious writer has applied for Irish citizenship after renouncing his UK citizenship this week in protest at Britain leaving the European Union (EU). Scotland born John Cooney holds the distinction of being the only journalist who has been the Religious Affairs Correspondent of the Irish Times and the Irish Independent. His books include…
The different forms of consecrated life enrich communities in varied ways, writes Aron Hegarty Every year religious orders, congregations and societies around the world gather to give thanks for their calling to serve the Gospel in a consecrated way of living life. This occasion comes in the form of World Day for Consecrated Life, which…
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has opened a recruitment campaign this week which bids to increase its number of Catholic officers. The PSNI is looking for 600 trainees to reach full complement and address the under-representation of Catholics in the force. At present only 32% of the 6,848 police officers in Northern Ireland…
Plea for Catholics to put homeless, health crisis and youth at centre of vote With just over a week to the general election, Bishop of Elphin Kevin Doran has urged Catholics to reflect deeply before voting and urged them to think of the less well-off before casting their ballot. He also fired a shot across…
NBA basketball legend Kobe Bryant reportedly attended Mass just hours before his death in a tragic accident on Sunday, January 26. Mr Bryant, a devout Catholic, was killed along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other passengers in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. He was on his way to the Mamba Sports Academy…
Singing priest Fr Ray Kelly lived to ‘dance’ another day after surviving another elimination on RTÉ1’s Dancing With The Stars. Fr Kelly performed the paso double to the theme from The Magnificent Seven movie with professional dance partner Kylee Vincent on Sunday, January 26. Yet despite posting the lowest score for the third week running,…
Tomi Reichental says his experience of the Holocaust was “hell on earth” and fears history may “repeat itself” with the migrant crisis and the rise of populist politics in Europe. The Irish-based 85-year-old survivor drew comparisons of Jews being taken to Nazi concentration camps to refugees being displaced around the continent. He said: “When we…
Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol will be among the big names attending a cross-community arts festival in Belfast later this month. Along with Bafta award-winning filmmaker and playwright Damian Gorman plus homeless campaigner Fr Peter McVerry, he will form part of the line-up for the 2020 inter-church 4 Corners Festival. The Festival, now in its…
A film documenting the 1879 Apparition at Knock, Co. Mayo will have its first screening in the Vatican next week. The film titled Hope, which was written, produced and directed by Co Down native Campbell Miller, will be shown in the Film Vacticana on Monday, January 27. Miller’s feature recreates the August 21, 1879 apparition…
Fr Ray Kelly survived the first elimination from RTÉ1’s Dancing with the Stars at the weekend, despite posting the lowest score on the night. His ch-cha-cha dance with Kylee Vincent to ‘Save the Last Dance for Me’ by Michael Buble, which featured a cameo from comedian Des Bishop, scored a six. Of the judging panel, Brian Redmond gave…