The failure to form an Executive in the North and a lack of political leadership is leaving space for paramilitaries, Bishop Donal McKeown of Derry has warned. He said any decision regarding another Stormont election, set to take place after Christmas, must be taken with a focus on the “common good”. “I think we have…
An Irish theologian has called on Bishop Ray Browne to publicly correct an “egregiously wrong” statement the prelate made about a controversial homily in Listowel, Co. Kerry. Dr Tom Finegan of Mary Immaculate College in Thurles claimed that the bishop’s assertion that the controversial views expressed by Fr Seán Sheehy “do not represent the Christian…
Housing charity the Peter McVerry Trust had 680 active ‘housing first’ tenancies across 14 local authorities by the end of last year. The charity published its annual report on Tuesday and announced it worked with more than 10,000 people in 2021, an increase of almost 30% on the previous year. The charity, which is now active…
Parish Priest Fr John Joe Duffy has said the reality of the Creeslough tragedy is becoming more apparent as the “numbness and shock” begins to ease, following the first month’s mind. A month on from the devastating explosion which killed 10 people in the small Donegal community, Fr Duffy said he experienced comfort from counselling…
Overseas development charity Trócaire has said the Taoiseach is “relabelling” old funding aimed at easing the impact of climate change on poorer countries at the UN climate change conference, COP27 in Egypt. Taoiseach Micheál Martin announced to the conference on Tuesday that Ireland will contribute €10 million to the Global Shield initiative for 2023, “to protect the most…
Don’t allow pro-life men to be shut out of discussions on abortion, Chai Brady hears The “myth” that abortion is an inevitability and is here to stay must be tackled in Ireland, a prominent pro-life activist has warned, particularly as a third of people voted against legalising abortion. The 2018 referendum was a difficult loss…
Political turmoil is robbing people of hope, writes Chai Brady Bishop Donal McKeown of Derry diocese has warned there is a danger that politics “becomes a game for parties who are squabbling” as the North continues to lack an executive six months after elections. A new election is yet to be announced but is unlikely…
A 22-year-old man appeared in court this week charged with stabbing a priest six times in his home in Waterford. Indian priest Fr Bobit Augusthy of the Order of St Camillus, originally from Kerala, was hospitalised after the attack in his house which he shares with two other priests near Waterford Regional Hospital in Ardkeen.…
Irish Benedictine monk and former prior of Glentsal Abbey Fr Placid has died aged 104 in Limerick this week. Born Michael Murray in Lismore, Co. Waterford in 1918 he made his simple profession in 1937 and was subsequently sent to Belgium where he studied philosophy and started studying theology. His community in Belgium fled the…
Around the world, listening sessions for the Synod of Bishops gave many participants a sense of finally being listened to, but they also raised questions about how to promote greater inclusion in the Church while staying true to eternal Church teaching. Two of the issues raised most often in reports sent to the Vatican were…