There have been calls for a change to “oppressive” equality legislation in Northern Ireland in the wake of the failed Ashers Bakery appeal. Following a decision by the Appeals Court in Belfast to uphold a discrimination finding against the McArthur family in refusing to decorate a cake in support of same-sex marriage, the Christian Institute,…

The son of the late Munster rugby player Anthony Foley has launched a Facebook prayer appeal in honour of his father. Eleven-year-old Tony created the online appeal just hours after he lined out with younger brother Dan and his father’s team-mates at Limerick’s Thomond Park to pay tribute to Anthony, who died suddenly in Paris…

Ruth McGee with Fr Gabriel Harty OP and Brid Galligan, Principal of St Malachy's Girls' National School. Sixth-class student Ruth wrote to Pope Francis to praise the 95-year-old school chaplain Fr Harty, and was amazed last week to receive a letter from the Vatican, saying the Pope wanted to thank her, and that he appreciated…

Pope Francis has said 2018’s World Meeting of Families is a gift to the Irish Church, Dublin’s Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has said. Speaking in Drumcondra at the formal launch of preparations for the ninth global Catholic family gathering, which Dublin will host with Dr Martin presiding, the archbishop warned against allowing the meeting to be…

The chairperson of the Central Catholic Library has insisted there is no crisis after almost a third of the library’s board members dramatically resigned after a recent meeting. The Irish Catholic understands that six long-standing board members – including the keeper of the collection and the treasurer – resigned last week having lost confidence in…

Pictured at the inaugural ‘Miles for Mission’ fundraising walk in the Phoenix Park, organised by World Mission Ireland, was Kenyan Ambassador to Ireland, Richard A. Opembe accompanied by religious participants in the event. The 5km walk was held as part of the mission month of October celebrations, with proceeds raised going to the Love and…

Claim that NI schools are divisive rejected

Kilmainham Gaol is a “sacred space”, Dublin’s Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has said, declaring the prison sanctified by the men and women who were executed there after the 1916 Rising. Speaking at a Mass in the prison chapel, Dr Martin said rather than being formally consecrated as a sacred space, the prison was sacred “because of…