France’s society for the protection of birds has issued a plea for the reconstruction of Notre-Dame to keep the original holes atop the edifice that were home to kestrels and other species for centuries before the cathedral was devastated by fire in 2019. Under current plans they could be removed, the Irish Independent reported. The…
Month: July 2021
National Maternity Hospital protestors know no better
It fascinates me that whenever there is a street demonstration in Ireland against the alleged influence of nuns – as there has been in connection with the proposed National Maternity Hospital adjacent to St Vincent’s – protesters come out with the catchphrase, often painted on banners: “Get your Rosaries/Off our ovaries.” This snappy campaign cry…
Behaviour at the funeral of convicted serial burglar criticised by priest
The liturgy during the funeral Mass last week of a man with scores of criminal convictions was described as “disturbing” by the Prior of St Mary’s in Tallaght, Dublin. Fr Donal Roche was not celebrating the Requiem Mass for Dean Maguire (29), who died in a crash on the N7 two weeks ago, but was…
Sri Lankan bishops demand answers from president two years after Easter bombing
Catholic bishops criticised the “lethargic pace” of a government inquiry in to the Easter 2019 Church bombings, warning that they will begin organising the faithful to action if their demands for an official explanation are not met. The bishops have given Sri Lanka’s government a one-month deadline to answer their letter sent on behalf of…
Nuns shouldn’t give NMH site for free, says prominent doctor
It is “disrespectful” and “biased propaganda” to demand the Religious Sisters of Charity award the land for the National Maternity Hospital to the State, the Editor-in-Chief of the Irish Journal of Medical Science has said. Dr Bill Tormey told The Irish Catholic that the “nuns would be ill-advised to award the land to the State”…
People with disabilities’ rights ‘abused’ during lockdown says charity
People with disabilities in developing countries are being left behind due to lockdown measures and pressure on healthcare due to the pandemic, an Irish charity have said. Christian Blind Mission (CBM) in Ireland was established in 2002. CBM International is a worldwide network of 10 organisations working in 53 countries. Speaking to The Irish Catholic,…
Grandparents Day highlights value of elderly – Archbishop Neary
Ahead of the Church’s first Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, the patron of the Catholic Grandparents Association stressed the importance of close relationships between grandparents and grandchildren. “The value of someone who can help the young person to broaden their horizon and approach challenges from another angle is hugely important for the young,” Archbishop…
Tributes paid to long serving Irish missionary in Africa
Fr Raymond Hickey OSA will be remembered for his love of Nigeria and its people, writes Fr Justine John Dyikuk Following the death of Irish Augustinian Fr Raymond Hickey, who answered the call home in the early hours of July 9, eulogies have been pouring in from people from all walks of life. Typical among…
Focus Ireland: Increase rent supplement limit
Focus Ireland has called for a review of rent limits for rent supplements to ensure vulnerable people are not “disproportionately bearing the brunt of the economic fall-out”. This comes as the maximum rent limits for rent supplement were last amended in 2016. Rents have continued to rise in the five years since then. Director of…
More than 220,000 people left the Catholic Church in Germany in 2020
More than 220,000 people left the Catholic Church in Germany in 2020, according to official figures released last Wednesday. The statistics issued by the German bishops’ conference on July 14 showed that 221,390 people exited the Catholic Church last year. The figure was almost 19% lower than that of 2019, when a record 272,771 people departed. But it was…

Ruadhán Jones
Mary Kenny



Chai Brady



