Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, the founder and CEO of the global child hunger charity Mary’s Meals, has been named as one of TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world for 2015, in recognition of his charity’s work in setting up school feeding projects in some of the world’s poorest communities.

Staff Reporter Independent TD Mattie McGrath (pictured) has said that a Garda Representative Association statement which has called for a ‘yes’ vote in the same-sex marriage referendum is almost unparalleled in its politicisation of the Gardaí. Deputy McGrath made his comments as the association general secretary PJ Stone implied that those who vote no are…

Archbishop Eamon Martin and Sr Geraldine McCarthy of Action to Prevent Trafficking (APT) join Fr Gerry Campbell to launch his four-day diocesan run from April 26-29  in aid of APT through the length of the Archdiocese of Armagh starting at the Bann at Newbridge, Co. Derry and finishing at the Boyne at Drogheda, Co. Louth.…

A Co. Wicklow woman asked to co-ordinate the work of a Vatican abuse commission, has put her appointment down to the leading example shown by the Irish Church in improving safeguarding standards. Emer McCarthy-Cabrera, who worked at the Vatican Radio English section for 13 years and was tasked with translating Pope Francis’ first words into…

Christian football star Tim Tebow is set to make his return to the National Football League (NFL) after signing a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite being out of the league for some time, the 27-year-old remained one of the most popular players around and has a legion of fans who follow him because…

Mourne Abbey ‘won’t be found wanting’ – parish priest

During Lent two schools in Derry City, St Cecilia’s College and St Joseph’s Boys, took part in the Mother Teresa Food Bank Programme; ‘If you can’t feed a hundred people then just feed one’. The Pantry Food Bank Project was set up in the city over two years ago by local Christian Churches and has…

St Colman’s Society for Catholic Liturgy is hosting the Fota VIII International Liturgy Conference in Cork from July 4-6 on the subject of the priesthood of the baptised, entitled ‘A chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation: Aspects of the Priesthood of Baptism’. The conference speakers over the weekend include Prof. Dieter  Böhler, from Germany…

Accountability on the agenda as Boston bishop opens dialogue with C9 Boston’s Cardinal Sean O’Malley has spoken to Pope Francis’ Council of Cardinal Advisers about accountability for bishops who mishandle cases of clerical abuse, according to Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi. Explaining that there had not been a formal presentation on the issue, Fr Lombardi…