It’s been 40 years since Pope St John Paul II’s iconic visit to Ireland, which drew crowds of millions. Since then Ireland has changed dramatically, but his messages of peace and faith are as relevant today as if they were said yesterday. The Polish Pontiff, who was just 59 years old at the time, kissed…
Irishman and former Archbishop of Pretoria in South Africa William Slattery has said the Irish Church should be more “forceful, more self-confident” in spreading the Good News, as it’s shifted away from “being close to people”. Returning home last month, Archbishop William (Liam) Slattery OFM said the Church is hugely important for community and has…
Chai Brady speaks to an Irish missionary about the Church in South Africa, and what the Irish Church can learn from it After celebrating Mass in a church high in the South African mountains, an Irish missionary saw a man approaching him in a way that spelled danger; he had not seen him at the…
The parish priest of Oughterard in Galway has called for calm among a Galway community protesting the potential opening of a direct provision centre in their town. Local protests began last week after concerns that a hotel just outside the town was being converted into a direct provision centre. Fr Michael Connolly PP told The…
Catholic schools must take concrete action in tackling climate change, not just engage in protests, according to Irish principals. The climate strike organised on September 20 is a continuation of strikes aimed to raise awareness of human impacts on the environment and the need for sustainable practices. Schoolchildren have been at the forefront of these…
Farmers are heavily in favour of age-restrictions on pornography, with only 3% believing there should be free access. An Irish Examiner/ICMSA poll of farmers and farming families found that 72% believe strongly there should be age restrictions, with 14% slightly agreeing. Support for the restriction was similar across all age groups, peaking among people aged…
Field Hospitals Chai Brady hears from Irish charities living Pope Francis’ call to ‘go where they suffer’ The Church is a “field hospital” that cares for the sick and wounded no matter where they are, according to Pope Francis in 2016, a message that resonated with many Irish charities who continue to reach out…
Distributors are “freezing out” promoters of a major pro-life film, according to promoters, making it likely many Irish cinema-goers won’t be able to view it locally. UnPlanned has already been viewed by about two million people across 12 countries and tells the story of Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood clinic director and her decision…
Gambling laws in the North of Ireland don’t take the issue of problem gambling seriously enough, which has “serious consequences” for individuals and families, a charity and former addict have said in the wake of new findings. A report examining the issue was required under the recently passed Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Act, which found…
A Kildare parish will join Ireland’s 14th Culture Night this year for the first time with an evening of poetry organised by their parish pastoral council. ‘Poetry to Make You Think’ will feature poems from some well-known poets including Seamus Heaney, WB Yeats, Mary Oliver, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Warsaw Shire, Emily Dickinson and Drew Dillinger.…