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…
Pope Francis has expressed his spiritual closeness and solidarity with those affected by the eruption of the La Sourfrière volcano in St Vincent and the Grenadines. Authorities in the Caribbean island nation have ordered the evacuation of thousands of people to avoid a humanitarian disaster. Pope Francis, in a message signed by the Vatican’s Cardinal…
Following the conviction of former police officer Derek Chauvin US bishops have appealed for Catholics to work “to cleanse our land of the evil of racism”. The May 25, 2020, death of George Floyd while in police custody and the surrounding events, including the three-week trial of Mr Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer now…