Staff reporter Dom Richard Purcell has resigned as abbot of the largest Cistercian monastery in the country. Dom Richard, who made history in 2009 by becoming the country’s youngest abbot at just 33, has led Mount Melleray since moving from Roscrea in 2017. However, he tendered his resignation last week. Order of Cistercians A statement…
Ireland’s recent appearance before the UN Human Rights Council should prompt questions about how serious a body it is, writes Jason Osborne The relevance of Ireland’s recent appearance before the United Nations’ Human Rights Council can be summed up by the fact that Iceland asked us to “repeal the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Act”.…
A report issued last week declared the treatment of Christian minority women and girls in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia a “human rights catastrophe”. The study, “Hear Her Cries”, published by the charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) last week, said that “at its most extreme”, forced conversions could amount…
Staff reporter Paul Givan, a DUP MLA, has resigned from the Free Presbyterian Church due to a dispute regarding October’s ecumenical centenary service in Armagh, according to reports. It is believed Mr Givan resigned rather than face disciplinary action overseen by church elders, The Irish News reported. The number of DUP MLAs who are full…
Staff, students, Presentation Sisters and former staff members of Presentation Ballingary gathered last week to celebrate their 150th anniversary with an anniversary Mass. Archbishop of Cashel and Emly Kieran O’Reilly concelebrated Mass for Presentation Ballingarry with parish priest and school chaplain Fr Derry Quirke. In his homily, Archbishop O’Reilly paid tribute to “the trials and…
If the data is correct the post-coronavirus Church in Ireland will be a depleted force, but creative thinking can arrest decline, writes Michael Kelly The First Sunday of Advent at the weekend brought more potentially worrying news about the new variant of Covid-19 that has been discovered in South Africa. It’s a concern, health officials…
An international Christian legal group has denounced the US State Department’s decision to remove Nigeria from this year’s watchlist of countries with the most egregious violations of religious freedom, in a period where the country is arguably at its most unsafe for Christians. “Persecution against Christians and other religious minorities around the world must end,”…
Framing the synodal process is taking away opportunities to sit and listen first, and let people talk, writes Garry O’Sullivan Speaking at the beginning of the diocesan phase of the worldwide synod, Bishop Brendan Leahy of Limerick said that the synod is taking place at a critical time for the Church and must not be…
Bishop Xavier Novell, who unexpectedly resigned in August as bishop of Solsona, Spain, entered into a civil marriage with Silvia Caballol on November 22. Catalan media sources reported that the marriage ceremony took place on that Monday at the courthouse in Suria, Barcelona province, and was attended by only two witnesses. According to this same…
The Red Prince: The Fall of a Dynasty and the Rise of Modern Europe by Timothy Snyder (The Bodley Head, £20) World War I (1914-1918) swept away the Hapsburg dynasty which for hundreds of years had ruled much of Europe from Vienna as the Holy Roman Empire. Napoleon put an end to the Holy Roman…
Ruadhán Jones
Michael Kelly