Abortion rates fall when the Pope visits an area, with the decrease persisting for over a year according to a new study. Scientists led by a team from the University of Sussex found that people were taking more care not to get pregnant after a papal visit. While the number of abortions dropped, the birth…
Irish bishops who have just returned from a fact-finding mission to the Holy Land say that have been inspired by the “enduring resilience” of the small Christian community there. Bishop Noel Treanor or Down and Connor and Bishop Alan McGuckian of Raphoe were part of an international delegation who travelled to the region to show…
About 130 people attended a Catholic retreat in UCD from January 16-18 where discussion ranged from community building to challenges people of faith face in college. Speaking to The Irish Catholic co-ordinator of Ignite, Sarah Kate Moynihan, said the “response was insane, it went so well”. “It was a university event – all the Catholic…
Irish Catholics can support “dwindling” Faith communities in the Holy Land by visiting them and showing solidarity as they face increasing threat from Muslim extremism, an Irish bishop has said. During a visit to Palestinian Christians in the occupied territories of the Holy Land this week Bishop Alan McGuckian SJ of Raphoe said the number…
A secondary school pupil in Derry is causing waves on social media after refusing to follow school policy and shave his beard. Carrick McClean of St Columb’s College Derry received a huge reaction on Twitter with almost 3,000 likes and hundreds of comments of support after he published a letter he sent to his principal…
An Irish missionary has decried the violence and kidnapping of religious in Nigeria as “complete anarchy”, after four seminarians were abducted last week in Kaduna state. Fr Kevin O’Hara SPMS, who is based in the country, said that “scores of priests and sisters have been kidnapped in the past few years”, with many being killed…
Chai Brady speaks to missionaries about increased persecution in north-east Nigeria Islamic extremism and violence in Nigeria is increasing after a spate of attacks targeting both Christians and moderate Muslims, destroying almost all the clinics and schools Irish missionaries built in the north-eastern part of the country over the last few years. Much of the…
Personal Profile Faith communities in University College Dublin (UCD) are growing, and offer a space for students to support each other in their Catholic beliefs, according to the university chaplain. While there was only about a dozen students who attended lunchtime Mass when Fr Eamonn Bourke began his ministry four years ago, nowadays they…
About 1,000 school secretaries have said they will continue their battle for “fairness” and “equality” until their job is taken seriously by the Department of Education as they continue with work-to-rule strike action. The secretaries are at a disadvantage because they work in the voluntary, predominantly Catholic, sector. Secretaries from several Catholic schools told this…
Both conservatives and liberals misunderstand what reform is, Austen Ivereigh tells Chai Brady Respected Papal biographer Dr Austen Ivereigh has discussed criticism in Ireland of Pope Francis regarding his efforts to reform the Church, saying not all profound, positive change is solely doctrinal. Reacting to former Irish president Mary McAleese’s critique of the Pope’s efforts…