Have a bloomin’ good time Promoting care and an appreciation of the environment in kids is on all parent’s check lists, so what better way could there be than seeing some of the best of what nature has to offer? Bloom is Ireland’s annual garden festival which takes place at the Phoenix Park in Dublin…
Glasgow parish ‘shamefully’ vandalised
Police in Glasgow are investigating vandalism committed on Monday at St Simon’s parish, an attack the archdiocese has called ‘shameful’. Local police announced on Twitter “significant vandalism was carried out” in the church on April 29 between 1.30-4 pm. The Archdiocee of Glasgow called it “a shameful attack on a much-loved church”, adding: “Let’s find…
Chile’s bishops fear new law would force clergy to break Confession seal
Chilean bishops said that while they support legislation requiring priests and religious authorities to report crimes, they fear an update to the country’s current law would force clergy to break the sacramental seal of confession. The 155-member Chilean House of Representatives unanimously approved a measure this week that would add clergy and religious men and…
US House can continue opening sessions with prayer, court rules
In a unanimous ruling, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has upheld the long-standing requirement of the House of Representatives that it open each day it is in session with a prayer. The decision from Judges David Tatel, Douglas Ginsburg and Harry Edwards also confirmed that…
Notre-Dame rebuild funds shouldn’t be diverted IC poll finds
The majority of people would advocate that the money raised for Notre-Dame Cathedral be used to rebuild the iconic landmark and place of worship, rather than given to the poor. Out of 500 people who voted on a social media survey conducted by this paper 80% said the donated funds should be used to restore…
Thousands of new Catholic converts welcomed at Easter
Dioceses across the US welcomed thousands of people into the Catholic Church at Easter Vigil Masses on the evening of April 20. As the culmination of the Easter Triduum, the Vigil celebrates the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. While people can become Catholic at any time of the year, the Easter Vigil is…
Pilgrims say bare marble of ‘Holy Stairs’ brings them closer to Christ
Letter from Rome Elise Harris For pilgrims flocking to Rome’s famed Scala Santa last week as they commemorate Jesus’ crucifixion and death and ultimately his Resurrection, the opportunity to climb the famed relic on bare marble for the first time in 300 years is something many said has brought them closer to God. Giuliana Saginario said:…
Easter bombs show war on Christians is spreading
For too long the media has played down the most appalling attacks against believers, writes James Bradshaw The bomb attacks which took place on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka have once again demonstrated the horrors which Christians are being subjected to the world over. Some 320 people were killed and another 500 were injured…
Man arrested after attempting to enter cathedral with flammables
A man who tried to walk through St Patrick’s Cathedral in midtown Manhattan close to 8pm local time on April 17 had gas cans, lighter fluid and igniters and claimed he was just cutting through the cathedral to get to Madison Avenue where he had left his car, which he said had run out of…
Experts confident that Cathedral of Notre Dame will rise again
Claire Giangravè Even as Holy Week unfolded, historians and experts in monument restoration weighed in on the implications and repercussions of the blaze that nearly destroyed the iconic Notre Dame cathedral in Paris on last week. Regardless of the time, money and resources needed to bring the church back to its splendour, they all shared…










