Forgiveness on this island can only be progressed if we bring to light the truths about our troubled past, says Archbishop Eamon Martin Although I was only eleven years old in September 1973, somewhere lodged in my boyhood memory are news images of Church leaders gathering for an historic meeting – while others marched in…
The archbishop of Paris has banned French Msgr Tony Anatrella, a longtime Vatican consultant on issues of sexuality, from all public ministry and ordered him to a life of prayer after a Vatican investigation into allegations he sexually abused young men he was counselling. Msgr Anatrella, who will be 82 in February, had been a…
The Wisdom of Pope Francis The different religions, based on their respect for each human person as a creature called to be a child of God, contribute significantly to building fraternity and defending justice in society. Dialogue between the followers of different religions does not take place simply for the sake of diplomacy, consideration or…
A spokesman for Scotland’s Catholic Church has welcomed the British government’s veto of legislation allowing teenagers to change their sex on legal documents via a simple self-declaration, and criticised Scottish politicians’ “obsession with gender politics”. “We didn’t support this bill, and we were against clauses which have now been questioned by the UK government,” said…
The latest statistics from Northern Ireland relating to hospital-based abortion have revealed that there were 53 terminations carried out in HSC hospitals during the period of 2021/22. This was 10 less than the previous year, but still an increase on the figure from 2019/20. The number only relates to procedures carried out on hospital inpatients…
The President of Ireland has led tributes to eminent sociologist and advocate for the travelling community Fr Mícheál MacGréil SJ after his death aged 92. Paying tribute to him, the President Michael D. Higgins said that Fr MacGréil made a “deep impact on the lives of many people”. “Throughout all of his work, Micheál MacGréil…
Elise Ann Allen In a scene reminiscent of Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 cinematic sensation The Godfather, Italy’s most notorious mob boss was arrested January 16 after 30 years on the run, a development celebrated by civil and ecclesial authorities alike. A fugitive for the past 30 years, infamous Italian mobster Matteo Messina Denaro – tied…
At the World Economic Forum, Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska and Ukrainian Catholic Archbishop Borys Gudziak of Philadelphia discussed the physical, psychological and emotional trauma of war, forgiveness, and their dreams for Ukraine’s future. The panel discussion with Archbishop Gudziak was hosted by Ukraine House Davos in collaboration with the January 17 “Ukraine Is You”…
Buddhists visit Vatican to meet with Pope Interreligious dialogue can combat climate change by tapping into the “profound richness” of faith traditions to promote a sense of “ecological responsibility” and conversion, Pope Francis said. Welcoming a delegation of Cambodian Buddhists to the Vatican January 19, the Pope called for “dialogue at all levels” to seek…
Cindy Wooden Pope Francis’ fifth trip to the African continent will highlight gestures of peace and reconciliation, consoling the victims of violence but also emphasising the importance of each person sowing peace in the family, the neighbourhood and the nation. The Pope is scheduled to travel to Kinshasa, Congo, January 31-February 3 before making an…