Government’s actions suggest a preference for vaguely articulating a desired standard of behaviour and then tricking citizens into compliance, writes Prof. Oran Doyle Legal prohibitions on religious services have been much in the news lately. In this unavoidably lengthy post, I will show how these prohibitions have evolved over time in order to identify precisely…
Numerous religious leaders gathered in Sri Lanka to mark the second anniversary of the 2019 Easter Sunday suicide bombings and to pray for an end to religious extremism. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the archbishop of Colombo, spoke at St Anthony’s Shrine, along with Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim leaders. The service included prayers and two minutes of…
Dennis Sandowski President Joe Biden’s plan to withdraw US armed forces from Afghanistan by September 11 is leading observers to renew concerns about continued progress on human rights, the status of democratic reforms and whether a resurgence of violence will set back the war-beleaguered country. When leaving without a peace accord and peacekeeping forces, we…
Catholics in a northern Thai province have been supporting thousands of displaced Karen refugees from Myanmar — in stark contrast to the Thai government’s unwelcoming policy regarding refugees and migrants from the military-ruled neighbouring country. Church leaders joined by Catholics in Chiang Mai have welcomed and supported thousands of Karen refugees with aid after they…
Newly beatified martyrs can inspire fidelity to God, says Pope The Catholic Church’s newest blesseds are six “meek disciples of Christ”, who showed heroic courage defending the Eucharist from profanation when French troops sacked their Italian monastery in 1799 and scattered the Blessed Sacrament on the floor while searching for any valuables they could carry…
The Sunday Gospel Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap. One of the saddest features of society today is the number of people who are homeless and sleeping rough. But another sort of homelessness is the plight of people who have lost all contact with God. The Gospel today (John 15:1-9) recalls one of the seven great…
Covid claims Catholic priests in Indian state Seven Catholic priests have died of Covid-19 in the space of four days in India’s Gujarat state, one of the worst-hit areas where government and private hospitals are adding more beds as infections spiral out of control. In one day, April 19, Gujarat reported as many as 7,107…
Dear Editor, I wish to congratulate you and your team for your excellent and thorough coverage of the appalling restrictions placed on religious worship throughout this pandemic. Despite assurances from the Heath Minister Stephen Donnelly last year that there would be no penal provisions put in place to deter people attending Mass and other religious…
Carphone Warehouse closes Irish operations Dixons Carphone announced its decision to close the Irish Carphone Warehouse business last week. The closure is expected to lead to nearly 500 job losses. All 69 of its stores will close, as well as its 12 outlets within stores. Dixons Carphone confirmed that the move won’t affect Currys PC…
Pope Francis welcomed Lebanon’s designated prime minister, Saad Hariri, to the Vatican this week and expressed his hope that the country’s politicians would work together for the good of the nation. Mr Hariri, who was designated prime minister in October, has been unable to form a government, adding a political crisis to the severe economic…