French President Emmanuel Macron announced last week that the French Parliament in May would examine a proposal to legalise ‘aid-in-dying’ throughout the country. Macron in an interview with the Catholic newspaper La Croix described the measure as “a law of fraternity” that “reconciles the autonomy of the individual and the solidarity of the nation”. The law “opens…
Pope Francis has laicised Bishop Emeritus of Bruges, Belgium, Roger Vangheluwe, years after the former prelate admitted to repeatedly sexually abusing his nephew when the latter was a minor. The apostolic nunciature to Belgium said in a statement last week that “serious new elements” had come to light regarding ex-bishop Vangheluwe, who resigned in 2010 after…
Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown has criticised what he describes as the “modern secular and consumerist culture”, saying that it leaves “no place for a dissident voice” that doesn’t support it and that the political parties who adopt this ideology in the North “seem to assume that Catholic education has no place in a modern…
A new mural of Our Lady of Knock is set to be created in St Patrick’s Cathedral New York, the Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan has announced. The news was revealed by the cardinal after singer-songwriter Dana sang the hymn Our Lady of Knock at the St Patrick’s Day parade Mass over the…
Séamus Dooley, Secretary of the National Union of Journalists and former editor of the Roscommon Champion, has expressed disappointment about the lack of diversity of opinion in modern media and insisted that editors and producers need to take more risks in ensuring that more voices are brought to the table. Speaking on The State of the…
Commenting in response to the recent decision made by the Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying to recommend legalising assisted suicide and euthanasia in Ireland, Dr Miriam Colleran, consultant in palliative care at Naas Hospital and a member of the Hope Ireland group, a coalition of medical professionals and disability rights advocates who aim to bring informed perspectives to the…
Viewers were left captivated as comedian Tommy Tiernan interviewed Capuchin Franciscan, Br Richard Hendrick on his popular Saturday night talk-show last weekend. The highly praised interview saw the pair discuss the eclectic topics of religion, love and Franciscan brewers. The brother-priest, who lives and works in Dublin, shared with Tommy that he was drawn to…
The Laudato Si’ Working Group (LSWG) held an online meeting with Minister for Environment, Climate Action, Communications and Transport, Eamon Ryan last month where the role of local faith groups in their efforts to combat climate change and other environmental issues with state agencies was discussed. During the meeting the LSWG highlighted the commitment of the Irish bishops…
For a generation born after a certain period in Europe, war and its perverse consequences have thankfully not been all too intimately known. In fact, the vast majority of Europe’s inhabitants – save the likely elderly of World War II and the middle-aged products of the Cold War and The Troubles – have largely been…
Speaking at the St Patrick’s College Maynooth Annual Trócaire Lecture, Fr Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator SJ, the former President of the Jesuit Conference of Africa and Madagascar, warned that we must collectively commit to assuming “responsibility for the legacy we will leave behind once we leave the world” and that modern Catholic social teaching can inform Catholics…