Pope ‘pained’ as landmark church to become a mosque Pope Francis has said he is “pained” by Turkey’s decision to convert Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia back into a mosque. Speaking at the Vatican on Sunday, the Pontiff added that his “thoughts go to Istanbul”. Hagia Sophia was built as a Christian cathedral nearly 1,500 years ago and…
Man charged in arson attack on Catholic Church in Florida A man accused of setting a Florida church on fire is being held without bail on charges that include attempted second-degree murder and arson. The Marion County Sheriff’s Office charged Steven Shields, 23, on Saturday, hours after detectives say he rammed a minivan through the…
Shadow Warriors: The Irish Army Ranger Wing by Paul O’Brien and Wayne Fitzgerald Mercier Press (€12.99/£11.99) Joe Carroll Back in the 1980s, there used to be an advertisement on RTÉ showing a squad of soldiers in battledress, holding rifles jogging along a road while singing lustily: “We are Rangers, mighty, mighty Rangers.” And then the Rangers…
Dear Editor, If we want an image of pure innocence and joy just look at lambs as they prance around without a care in the world in our fields. Picture this. You’re in a restaurant enjoying your meal and, as you are about to put a piece of succulent, tasty lamb into your mouth, the…
The Sunday Gospel Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap. The mission of Jesus was to establish the rule of God, the Kingdom of God, on Earth. The taskforce for the continuation of his mission would be the community of believers known as the Church. Today, in Matthew 13:24-43, three parables show how this Church is a…
Live more at Lismore Castle Gardens Exploring and playing outdoors is proven to be beneficial to children’s development and there’s a lot to be said about doing this while learning about places with rich histories. Lismore Castle Gardens & Gallery in Co. Waterford have announced they are “delighted” to welcome back visitors via a new…
Dublin’s Parish Pastoral Workers (PPWs) are among the 82 lay staff asked by Dublin Diocese to consider a voluntary redundancy package which has been described by some PPWs this paper spoke to as ‘generous’. However, the main concern of PPWs appears to be what does the future hold for those who don’t take the redundancy…
The president of the European bishops’ commission has promised persecuted Christians in Nigeria that he will advocate for increased support from the EU. Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, who leads the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), wrote a letter to the Nigerian bishops stating that the commission will advocate for EU assistance…
Utilising personal stories from his interactions with the New York Police Department, Cardinal Timothy Dolan said in a newspaper column that the city’s police officers deserve better treatment and broad support on the job. Writing in the New York Post, Cardinal Dolan said police officers deserve to be recognised for the heroic work they carry…
A cardinal in northern Italy has said that the Covid-19 health crisis has created “immense” poverty in the area, and now is the time to rebuild, to take responsibility, and to share resources. Indications from local charities and soup kitchens show that poverty in Bologna right now is “immense,” Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the city’s archbishop,…