The future of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom is to be decided on December 16. The body, a federally funded commission which advocates for religious freedom and monitors religious abuses globally has been targeted as America attempts to reduce its trillion dollar deficit. When the commission’s funding came due for re-approval in late…
The Pope has called on world leaders to be courageous and ethical in their responsibilities to their people. Speaking during his November 18-20 visit to the African nation of Benin, the Pontiff urged leaders: ‘Do not deprive your peoples of hope! Do not cut them off from their future by mutilating their present! ‘Adopt a…
A new committee is seeking memories of the famed council, writes Cindy Wooden With a view toward the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, a pontifical committee has launched a worldwide treasure hunt. Many of the more than 2,800 cardinals and bishops who participated in all or part of the 1962-65…
Chernobyl Children International (CCI) launched its annual Christmas gift campaign last week, appealing for support from the Irish public to help light up the lives of children in need. The CCI is the leading United Nations NGO accredited organisation working in Belarus, Ukraine and Western Russia. The organisation has raised over €90m in aid…
The former Israeli ambassador to Egypt offers his perspective on Egypt’s elections to Paul Keenan The earliest election results for Egypt came through last week as The Irish Catholic met with Israel’s former (2005-2010) ambassador to Cairo, Shalom Cohen. Inevitably, the scheduled interview turned towards that subject, and the past, present and future of the…
It’s great to be here and to have this opportunity to come together today to mark the end of this very special 400th anniversary year for the King James Bible. I know there are some who will question why I am giving this speech. And if they happen to know that I’m setting out my…
Ricky Santorum is the Republican candidate who came within eight votes of beating Mitt Romney in the Iowa caucus that is the first step in the race to be the Republican’s presidential candidate this year. Santorum is very strongly pro-life and pro-family and for this reason is being thoroughly demonised by his enemies and…
Pope Benedict XVI announced this morning that he is to create 22 new cardinals. 18 of the new cardinals will be eligible to vote in a papal election since they are under the age of 80 while 4 are considerd honourary cardinals being age over 80. Here is the list of the 22 cardinals-designate, in…
Vatican may face huge tax bill The head of the Italian bishops’ conference has signalled the Vatican may be willing to examine tax obligations amid new austerity measures in Italy. As world media reported a growing campaign within the country’s parliament towards seeking taxation on the Vatican’s extensive property portfolio, Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco indicated…
Letter from Australia: The Battler of Ballarat George Weigel hails the ministry of Cardinal George Pell In the Baltimore of the 1960s, my canny pastor devised a neat scheme for getting ‘Father Visitor’ (as the confessional doors read) to fill in during the summer for his vacationing curates: bring over newly-ordained Australians from their…