Despite a Supreme Court ruling that the ban on asylum seekers working is unconstitutional, Bishop Kevin Doran has warned that the Government’s minimalist approach to the ruling will mean very few people in direct provision will benefit. Bishop Kevin Doran welcomed the court’s decision, but said it was “disappointing” that the Government’s interim arrangement puts…
DCU helps those in direct provision reach third-level, Chai Brady writes After being tortured in Africa and escaping to Ireland, an asylum seeker’s prayers were answered when he was accepted into university on his birthday. Shepherd Machayah lives in a Direct Provision centre in Portlaoise, and was “very, very worried” that his application to…
Urgent international action must be taken to protect Christians as attacks including beatings and torture continue to rise exponentially in India, an Irish charity has warned. Knife attacks, extortion, battery and arson were just some of the crimes highlighted by Church in Chains, who have issued a briefing document to the Government detailing what is…
A “strong society” is based on strong marriages according to the President of Accord, the Catholic Marriage Care Service. Speaking at the blessing of an engaged couple, Bishop Denis Nulty said the World Meeting of Families, to be hosted this August in Dublin, is a time when families all over the world will come to…
Families are being encouraged to come together and discuss their ideas for Lent in order take on acts of prayer, fasting and almsgiving in the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin. Focusing on those three themes ‘Our KandLe Family Lenten Promises’ is a first for the diocese, and was inspired by the upcoming World Meeting of Families 2018 (WMOF). “It’s about…
After over 200 school entries and hundreds more applications the Fáilte Pope Francis competition has finally been announced and the awards will go to three lucky contestants from schools across Ireland. Aoife Murphy (7) from Scoil Mhuire na nGael, Bay Estate in Dundalk scooped the grand prize of €1,000 euro after displaying a level of…
A series of Lenten events prepared for the WMOF are set for the Tralee pastoral area in the Kerry Diocese. The Lenten series will open on Monday February 19 at 7.30pm in St John’s with an evening entitled ‘The Christian Vision of the Family’ with Bishop Kevin Doran of Elphin speaking at the event. The second session, on Monday February 26 at 7.30pm in St John’s parish will…
Over 250 winners of the Pope John Paull II award attended a ceremony in Belfast, with the theme of the celebration being ‘Family’, in anticipation of the World Meeting of Families 2018. The director of Living Youth, Pauline Dowd, invited the gathering of 500 young people, parents, award leaders and friends to join in the prayer of the World Meeting…
The Green Party have claimed a pro-life group’s billboards which say one in five babies are killed by abortion in Britain are “untruthful”. A war of words sparked between the two groups after Dublin North Inner City Cllr Ciaran Cuffe publicly lodged a complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland (ADAI). This led to…
The catechesis for the World Meeting of Families 2018 is now available on the Vatican’s website in five languages. On the Feast of the Lord’s Presentation in the Temple the catechesis was posted in Italian, English, Spanish, French and Portuguese. There will be seven catechises, one for each month leading up to the WMOF18. Each…