The Department of Health’s annual report on abortion statistics shows that of the 6,577 abortions carried out in 2020, just 122 were carried out in situations where the life of the child or mother was in danger. A further 194 women travelled to the UK to for an abortion in 2020, which brings the figure…
Month: July 2021
Aliens ‘no problem’ for Catholic belief but they may not need salvation
A recently published de-classified US intelligence report revealed that dozens of mysterious unidentified flying object (UFO) sightings could not be explained and did not rule out the possibility of alien spacecraft. So if there is alien life, could this be a difficulty for Catholics? Not so says Fr Brendan Purcell, an Irish professor of philosophy…
Bishop Cullinan criticises ‘blindness’ of EU parliament over abortion vote
The European Parliament’s (EP) decision to adopt a resolution that denies the right to conscientious objection has “very serious consequences” for us all, Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan warned. The EP voted June 24 to adopt the Matic Report, a resolution which also calls for abortion to be declared a human right, by 378 votes in favour…
Historic moment as GB Capuchin’s become delegation of Irish Province
A decline in numbers of the order in Great Britain and Ireland, and a desire to pool resources to promote vocations, prompted the “historic” decision. There are just 25 Capuchin’s left in Great Britain, no longer enough for it to be considered an independent province. There are 65 Irish Capuchin’s left – their average age is…
‘Small victory’ hailed as Newstalk complaint upheld
The Irish Catholic tv and radio critic has welcomed a decision by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) to uphold a complaint against Newstalk over a lack of objectivity and impartiality in dealing with the pro-life point of view. Brendan O’Regan had complained that an item on the station on December 10 had treated a…
Kindness: Christian virtue or health advice?
I’m fascinated by the way that old ideas often return wearing new livery. The latest health advice against Covid-19, and other ailments is – ventilation. That is, a dose of fresh air which Florence Nightingale was advocating back in the 1850s, and which every convent school practiced, before the era of the (less healthy) air…
Dublin archbishop appoints key lieutenant
Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell has tapped Fr Gareth Byrne to take over the key position overseeing the day-to-day running of diocesan administration. As Moderator of the Curia, Fr Byrne will be a key adviser to Dr Farrell and supervise diocesan offices and agencies on behalf of the archbishop. He replaced Msgr Paul Callan, a…
Politicians cannot pick and choose Church teachings and then expect to be considered good Catholics
The View A midst the ongoing controversy about whether US President Joe Biden should be excommunicated for his stance on abortion, important points are being missed. There needs to be sustained teaching on the nature of the Eucharist before people will understand excommunication. (This is not to suggest a moratorium on excommunication until all Catholics…
Teenage social media celebrity defends pro-life position
A Spanish social media ‘influencer’ who has millions of followers has expressed his pro-life position in several videos, saying “abortion is interrupting a life”. Naim Darrechi (19), who has 26 million followers on TikTok, said that “When a woman is pregnant, if she doesn’t take anything, if she doesn’t abort, the natural cycle is going…
European Parliament backs ‘extreme’ abortion report despite protests
The European Parliament voted Thursday in favour of a report describing abortion as “essential healthcare” and seeking to redefine conscientious objection as a “denial of medical care”. Members of the European Parliament, the EU’s law-making body, voted on June 24 by 378 votes in favour, 255 against and 42 abstentions, to adopt the text, known…

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