In response to Pope Francis’ new encyclical on the Sacred Heart, Dilexit Nos, three priests have welcomed the Pope’s re-exploration of the devotion and its “radical” message, with members of the Pioneer Association, an organisation that specifically devotes itself to the message of Sacred Heart, hailing its ability to help people overcome addiction and foster…
Child protection should unquestionably be paramount to any institution or organisation, but the moralising from some of the Government TDs of late rings hollow when you examine the ongoing failures they’ve been presiding over, with some seemingly incapable of finding solutions even after a decade in Government. The Government parties have suddenly become staunch champions…
Chief Executive Officer of the Catholic Education Partnership Alan Hynes has said that regardless of any apparent shift in tone from Minister for Education Norma Foley regarding the controversial content in the DCU course for SPHE teachers, with reports indicating that Minister Foley is “unhappy” with the content, which includes graphic descriptions of specific sexual…
The Archdiocese of Armagh has recently begun a special fundraising campaign to raise much needed funds for the maintenance and repair of St Patrick’s Cathedral, a project that is as much about the vital handing on of the Faith than mere architectural aesthetics, according to Parish Administrator Fr Barry Matthews. Speaking to The Irish Catholic,…
Politicians and a pro-life campaigner have decried the recent enactment of the Safe Access Zones legislation, a law that prohibits conduct ‘aimed at impeding access or influencing decisions’ 100 metres from an entrance or exit to a premises that provides abortion, as being “authoritarian”, “draconian” and represents “a bad day for civil rights in Ireland”. Speaking…
In advance of the Final Report of the Joint Committee on Assisted Dying discussion, which takes place in the Dáil today, representatives from both politics and the Church, including Archbishop Eamon Martin, called on people to either “seek commitments” from TDs and senators or alternatively “lobby their politicians now and in the run up to…
A Wexford priest who has served as chaplain to the Irish Defence Forces in the Lebanon has urged all parties involved in the recent escalation of conflict in the country to actively cooperate and ensure that the “hatred, division and war” that plague the state are ended once and for all, adding that even in…
The bishops’ recently published advisory letter on immigration has provoked mixed responses, with Director of the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice Dr Kevin Hargaden praising the bishops for issuing “a very strong word against the fear-based politics that have been developing in the nation”, while Dr Gerard Casey, a Catholic academic, was critical of…
Members of the Jewish community in Ireland have responded to comments made by a Fine Gael Councillor, who stated that “the entire US economy is ruled by the Jews, is ruled by Israel” during a Dublin City Council meeting on Monday, saying that they’re “appalled” and that statements like these show “it is no wonder that…
A primary school teacher based in Dublin who drew attention to the apparent removal of references to Christmas/Nollaig in the textbook Abair Liom for 5th class pupils, has described the change in language, which makes reference to ‘winter markets’ instead, as not something that teachers or parents have advocated for while others involved in Catholic…