Priest charged for praying in UK ‘buffer zone’ A Catholic priest who faced criminal charges for praying for free speech outside an abortion clinic after business hours is the latest to run afoul of a strict buffer zone law in the English city of Birmingham. “I pray wherever I go, inside my head, for the…
Cindy Wooden Pope Francis’ visit to Congo and his ecumenical pilgrimage to South Sudan put a face – actually, thousands of faces – on the horror of war. But he also seemed energised by the enthusiasm of the crowds in Kinshasa, Congo, and buoyed by traveling to Juba, South Sudan with Anglican Archbishop Justin Welby…
Dear Editor, Every year we have the same tired attacks on St Brigid in the media, with claims that she was involved in an abortion and was lesbian. Breda O’Brien’s piece was important as it pointed out the offensive co-opting of such a wonderful saint by those who seek to paint her in a way…
Tuam celebrates inaugural young adult night The Archdiocese of Tuam held its inaugural young adults night, February 4, gathering young people from around the diocese for Mass and a social. Archbishop of Tuam Francis Duffy celebrated the opening Mass at 6pm in the Cathedral of the Assumption, Tuam, Co. Galway. He praised the “moving” event,…
Pope urges solidarity with Syria, Turkey after earthquakes Pope Francis urged all people to be in solidarity with the regions of Turkey and Syria struck by two powerful earthquakes early February 6 and that are “in part already martyred by a long war”. The two earthquakes, which both measured above 7.0 magnitude according to the…
Chai Brady and Jason Osborne Priests based in Dublin’s inner city have decried the daily violence, church vandalism and prevalent drug dealing they witness in their communities. For Fr Kieran McDermott, the administrator of St Mary’s Pro Cathedral in the north inner city, security and safety in the area has continued to descend over the last five…
Authorities in the UK have dropped charges against a woman arrested for silent prayer in a “buffer zone” that bans pro-life advocacy outside an English abortion clinic. However, Isabel Vaughan-Spruce says the charges still could be revived, leaving her in an ambiguous legal situation. “It can’t be right that I was arrested and made a…
Why does the theology of this Dominican priest who died in 1274 still carry so much influence today, asks Fr Fergus Kerr OP You could graduate today with first-class honours in divinity in most universities knowing next to nothing about Thomas Aquinas. On the other hand, 50 years ago, in Catholic colleges and seminaries, you…
The Catholic Church in Sydney bid farewell to its former archbishop, Cardinal George Pell, in a funeral at times solemn, reverent, defiant and sorrowful, shot through with wry Australian humour, and attended by mourners from all walks of life. The cardinal remained a sign of contradiction until the very end, with protesters’ shouts of “George…
Archbishop Eamon Martin has paid tribute to Deacon Martin Barlow, who died recently aged 54. Deacon Barlow, who was one of the first married men to be ordained to the diaconate in Armagh, died just four weeks after being diagnosed with cancer. His funeral Mass was held on Monday in St John the Baptist Church,…