EXCLUSIVE “Catholics should not be surprised at Trump’s behaviour” Senator Ronan Mullen has told this paper. “The President is not a Catholic, he says he is not a religious man, and he has consistently rejected the normal rules of diplomatic engagement. He is both an egoist and an egotist. These are just facts. Against that…
Irish moral theologian Dr Vincent Twomey SVD has said that President Trump’s threat to bomb Iran back to the Stone Ages breached the understanding of lawful self-defence. Responding to a question from this paper — that the Church’s understanding of Just War may be seen as a bit old fashioned, i.e. sometimes pre-emptive military action…
Catholic education bodies have welcomed the results of the recent Primary School Surveys on divestment and related matters conducted by the Department of Education which found that the majority of parents have a high level of confidence in their Catholic school while 16% of parents are in favour of change. The results were released on…
Exclusive The Bishop of Achonry and of Elphin, Kevin Doran has responded to the recent discussion on women deacons in The Irish Catholic. In his statement, Bishop Doran says the question of women deacons should not deflect from what is possible for lay women and men in the ministry and leadership in the Church…
Pope Francis and Female Deacons When Bishop Alan McGuckian said he wished Pope Francis had said a clear ‘No’ to women deacons, I too like the bishop, was under the impression that the Pope had left the door open. But we were both wrong. Theologian and Synod expert Fr Eamonn Conway has said that Pope…
Irish Jesuit bishop says women are not second class citizens EXCLUSIVE REPORT The bishop of Down and Connor, Alan McGuckian has unequivocally said that he thinks the door to the female diaconate is shut and that his fellow Jesuit Pope Francis should have said so. The bishop made the comments during an interview with…
Former Taoiseach John Bruton’s deep Catholic faith shaped his politics, his intellectual life and his understanding of public service, his widow Finola Bruton told a gathering at Maynooth during an award ceremony honouring his legacy. Speaking at the event, Mrs Bruton reflected on the late statesman’s religious convictions: “For John, his faith was a given,…
While Church debates continue about synodality and reform in preparation for an Irish Synod in October, Bishop Niall Coll of Raphoe has delivered a clear and sometimes firm message: the next generation of Catholics is not looking for endless discussion or progressive experimentation — they are looking for truth. Speaking to a gathering of over…
Church leaders and parishioners in the Holy Land have appealed for Irish Catholics to come and follow in the footsteps of Jesus both to deepen faith and support the hard-pressed local Christian community. Many Christian families, who rely on working with pilgrims, have lost their incomes since the beginning of the war triggered by the…
A prominent Irish Jesuit has publicly urged bishops, including those in Ireland, to ask Rome to place the question of women’s priestly ordination on the agenda of the study groups accompanying the Synod. “I repeat my proposal,” Fr Gerry O’Hanlon SJ writes in February edition of The Furrow, “that bishops, including Irish bishops, who have qualms…