Churches in the Archdiocese of Dublin are having difficulties with contactless payment card machines, with some saying the machines being trialed are “too difficult to use”. Five churches in Dublin are part of the scheme aimed at giving parishioners more options when they decide to donate. Co-PP of Dundrum Parish, Fr John Bracken whose church…
I had my first hip replacement surgery when I was in my 40s – the youngest person in the hospital to have had that particular operation. It arose from a congenital joint defect I’d been born with, but had gone undetected, except for an increasing limp through my adult years. I was warned that a second…
A Belfast parish priest has said the local community is devastated as news emerged on Tuesday that Nóra Quoirin’s body had been found. Nóra – whose mother Meabh is from the parish of St Brigid’s in South Belfast and was baptised there – went missing on a family holiday in Malaysia over a week ago.…
A hugely-successful pro-life film is set to hit Irish cinema screens by the end of September, pending talks with distributors here. The film Unplanned has been viewed by about two million people according to producers and has been screened in 12 countries including Canada and the US. Starring Ashley Bratcher it tells the story of…
I have a confession to make: I once voted for Fine Gael. There, I said it. It is a long time since I have seen the error of my ways, but the events of the past week provide yet another depressing reminder of that party’s insistence upon stifling conformity. The President of Young Fine Gael (YFG),…
The incarcerated Cardinal George Pell is facing an investigation by Australian prison authorities, after images of a letter he sent to supporters were posted on social media. Pictures of the two-page letter were posted on Twitter last Friday by the ‘Cardinal Pell Supporters’ account. According to Australian prison regulations, inmates are not permitted to access…
A close confidant of jailed Australian Cardinal George Pell has said he thinks a desire for a high-profile ‘win’ by police may have influenced the decision to prosecute the Churchman. Dr Pell (78) was found guilty last December of sexual abuse and sentenced to six years in prison. Judges will reveal on August 21 whether…
The Rector of Knock Shrine has said it is “fantastic” that Pope Francis blessed their new processional statue, set to be unveiled this month. The hand-crafted statue was blessed by the Pontiff during his general audience last Wednesday and will be shown publicly on August 21 as part of the 140th anniversary celebrations of the…
Liberal Ireland is working hard to find enemies, writes John McGuirk Something happened last week that was extraordinary, but before I talk about it, it is necessary to remind ourselves of a few things about the country that we live in. Let us start with the fact that four short years ago, Ireland became…
Senior Vatican representatives joined the first officially approved Church festival at Medjugorje, three months after Catholic pilgrimages to the site in Bosnia-Herzegovina were authorised by the Pope. “We are called to share the difficulties of our contemporaries and we have a responsibility to care for them,” Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for…
Chai Brady
Mary Kenny
Colm Fitzpatrick
Maria Steen