Communities fear the “devastation of rural Ireland”, as the Government has announced a fishing taskforce with decommissioning of fleets on the agenda, according to a Donegal-based priest. Fr John Joe Duffy told The Irish Catholic that his local community of Creeslough, Donegal, are “horrified” at the prospect of their ships being decommissioned. “They’re horrified to…
An EU Parliament resolution on Poland’s recent constitutional ban on abortions “exceeds the confidences conferred on it by the member states”, said Bishop Noel Treanor. The Down and Connor bishop, who is vice-president of the EU bishops conference, COMECE, was a signatory on a letter from the bishops to the EU criticising the resolution. While…
Welcome plans to scrap the ‘undignified’ direct provision system will be challenging, writes Chai Brady Many priests and religious have been doing their best to help integrate asylum seekers into communities as well as support them through advocacy, particularly by calling for an end to the direct provision system, but with a housing crisis and…
When my brother James went to work in a bank, he was first sent to Oldcastle, Co. Meath. In those days – this was back in the 1950s – the Hibernian Bank was regarded as ‘the Catholic bank’, especially in counties nearing the border, while the Ulster Bank was regarded as ‘the Protestant bank’. Farmers…
The ACP has come under fire from within after issuing a statement expressing concern about calls for a return to Mass for Easter. The statement read, “The ACP is concerned about calls for an Easter return to community worship,” which raised questions from one of the priests in the comments. Fr Padraig McCarthy agreed with…
The retired Pontiff is keen to burst conspiracy theories, writes Michael Kelly A little over eight years ago, Benedict XVI stunned the world by announcing that he would resign as Pope. In so doing he became first man to renounce the papacy on his own initiative since Celestine V in 1294. Now, in a new…
In a letter released on February 25, the EU bishops said that the resolution, passed on November 26, 2020, would have “a very negative impact” on the way that the European Union (EU) is seen by member states. The European Parliament, the EU’s law-making body, passed the resolution by 455 votes to 145 after Poland’s…
Holy Cross family ministries, founded by Irish priest Venerable Patrick Peyton, have welcomed the installation of a handcrafted, Italian sculpture in the likeness of Fr Peyton outside the Fr Peyton Centre in North Easton, Massachusetts. Fr Willy Raymond, president of Holy Cross Family Ministry, welcomed the arrival of the Irish-born ‘Rosary Priest’s’ statue, blessing it…
The View Schools move back into operation this week, with over 300,000 four to seven-year-olds returning to the classroom. This is an age-group notorious for its inability to sit still, take instructions consistently, and with a developmental need for touch. Yet we adults — with a greater ability to take instructions, follow rules, and observe…
Fr Peter Whelan’s compelling story of war-time ministry in the US is worth remembering, writes Chai Brady It takes a brave man to remain a prisoner of war in order to continue ministering to defeated soldiers despite being offered freedom, but that, among many other selfless things, was what Fr Peter Whelan did during the…
Ruadhán Jones
Chai Brady
Mary Kenny
Michael Kelly
Maria Steen