Few articles have raised more eyebrows among Catholics online of late than James Carroll’s inflammatory piece in theatlantic.com entitled ‘Abolish the priesthood’ and subtitled ‘To save the Church, Catholics must detach themselves from the clerical hierarchy – and take the Faith back into their own hands’. By no means worthless, and in some ways a…
Climate issues are becoming “centre stage” but talk has to be matched with actions, Columban eco-theologian and author Fr Sean McDonagh has said. Fr McDonagh said while he was delighted by gains made by the Green Party in last week’s elections, he expressed disappointment at the party’s support for abortion. “We are turning vegetarian, [thinking]…
Hundreds of people gathered in Derry this month in honour of St Thérèse of Lisieux and to celebrate faith and community. As part of the annual Little Way Novena in St Eugene’s Cathedral, almost 1,000 church-goers attended the Masses, which began with the Anointing of the Sick. The tradition of commemorating St Thérèse – also…
Religious and non-religious people share more than common stereotypes might suggest, according to a major study presented at the Vatican this week. “Our data directly counter common stereotypes about unbelievers,” Dr Jon Lanham of Queen’s University Belfast said of the Understanding Unbelief programme, which mapped the diversity of unbelief across Brazil, China, Denmark, Japan, the…
What sort of you will you be?’ – that is the title of a book that caught my eye just now. Today our youngest finishes secondary school and will shortly sit his exams for the Leaving Cert. It feels like a momentous step. For nearly 20 years I have been baking bread rolls for school…
The Pro Life Campaign has marked the anniversary of abortion legislating being brought into Ireland with a nationwide billboard campaign, launched today. The billboards show an image of a mother and a baby with the words ‘Support pregnant women and new mothers. Let’s find a better way than abortion’. On May 25 it will have…
Bishop Edward Burns of Dallas questioned an affidavit and a dramatic raid by local police who descended on Church property in the Texas diocese wearing “ski masks and SWAT gear” in mid-May saying they were looking for documents related to abuse investigations. The Diocese of Dallas has fully cooperated with police and has been transparent…
Dr Leandro Rodríguez Lastra, an OB-GYN in Argentina, was found guilty on Monday of having prevented an abortion, after he decided to save the life of an unborn baby whose mother had taken an abortion pill. After three days of arguments in the Rio Negro Court in Argentina, Judge Álvaro Meynet found Rodríguez guilty of…
Anti-drugs campaigner warns of the imminent danger and says that hash ‘makes people paranoid’ “Cannabis is the most dangerous drug of all” and should not be legalised, according to Sr Consilio, the founder of Cuan Mhuire, which has treated thousands of substances abusers over the past 52 years. She has seen the effects of…
Colm Fitzpatrick and Susan Gately Knock Marriage Introductions was a service of its time, and “has served its time”, according to director Fr Stephen Farragher. The priest from the Tuam archdiocese who took over as director two years ago announced the closure of the service which brought about 960 weddings in its 51-year history. Speaking to The…
Greg Daly
Susan Gately
Colm Fitzpatrick
Bairbre Cahill
Chai Brady