Dublin communities must stand up against “evil” gangland violence and not stay silent, a parish priest has said after a young man was killed in Coolock on Sunday. Fr Bryan Shortall PP of Priorswood Parish condemned those behind the shooting of Eoin Boylan (22) in the garden of his home on Clonsaugh Avenue. He warned…
The Department of Foreign Affairs will not contact the Vatican regarding their decision whether to allow the Sisters of Charity to sell Church-owned land to the Government, earmarked for the new National Maternity Hospital. Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney was asked in the Dáil last week by Róisín Shortall TD whether his…
European Social Survey-Summary of findings on religion in Ireland Chai Brady examines the European Social Survey findings on Ireland’s religiosity There has been a sudden decrease in the number of Irish people who say they attend religious services once a week or more according to the most recent findings of the European Social…
A move announced by Pope Francis that could see crimes against the environment made a sin have been widely welcomed, with some saying it may “resonate” with Catholics who might not have “awakened to the crisis”. Speaking to a group of lawyers last week, Pope Francis said that the Church is contemplating the introduction of…
A teenager is being processed by gardaí in connection with the vandalism of a church at a convent in Dublin, during which offensive slurs were allegedly levelled at the contemplative nuns that worship there. There is still an open investigation into the serious incident which occurred at the Star of the Sea Carmellite monastery at…
A Tipperary priest has criticised the “national problem” of the lack of mental health support during a visit to his county by the Minister for Mental Health this week. Clonmel’s Fr Michael Toomey is on the frontline when it comes to suicide, and said that since a meeting with the Department of Health in June…
Exclusive Radical plan will see Masses cut by 1/3 Unveiling a new plan that will see Masses cut in a bid to enliven congregations and enhance liturgy, Bishop Dermot Farrell has said that the vocations crisis is really a crisis of faith that will not be solved by making celibacy optional. Speaking exclusively to The…
Moves to produce hate crime legislation have been likened to new “secular blasphemy laws”, which threaten freedom of speech, according to a Tipperary TD. Mattie McGrath spoke to The Irish Catholic after he made comments criticising legislation regarding hate speech in the Dáil last week. During a debate on Blasphemy (Abolition of Offences and Related…
Boris Johnson has shown “contempt” for the people of Northern Ireland after pledging to protect British veterans from prosecution, according to a priest based in Fermanagh. Under the proposals the Conservative party would amend the Human Rights Act so that it wouldn’t apply to issues such as killings during the Troubles. This was announced on…
Extensive changes in Ossory are about being fit for mission, Bishop Dermot Farrell tells Chai Brady “To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often” – so wrote the recently-sainted Cardinal John Henry Newman. The Church in Ireland, much like the wider society, has experienced change of epic proportion in…