Pope Francis’ letter to the world’s Catholics on clerical sexual abuse has been praised for its strong language but criticised for lacking promises of action against clergy who have committed or concealed abuse. The 2,000-word letter, coming against the background of last week’s Pennsylvania Grand Jury report that revealed over 1,000 children were abused by…
The Pope in Ireland Pope Francis has been unyielding in his pursuit of peace, writes Greg Daly Once it was announced that Dublin would host the 2018 World Meeting of Families, there was little delay before speculation began over whether Pope Francis would come to Ireland and whether, if so, he would visit the…
That most Irish people believe the Church should ordain women, as a new poll suggests, shouldn’t surprise anyone. Only two years ago 58% agreed with the proposal when Ireland’s farming community was polled on the issue, while in 2012, according to an Amárach Research poll for the Association of Catholic Priests, a massive 77% of…
Reports that more than one in five families referred to Gardaí when overnight accommodation is unavailable are Travellers are unsurprising, a priest who works as chaplain to the Traveller community has said. “It does not surprise me,” Mallow’s Fr Tom Naughton told The Irish Catholic, continuing, “it has always been an outstanding issue in my…
WMOF 2018: Programme A seven-church pilgrim walk offers an extra way to get involved in WMOF2018, writes Greg Daly The ‘Seven Churches of Dublin’ was a longstanding tradition on Holy Thursday when Canon Damien O’Reilly was growing up, and with the Camino de Santiago growing in popularity in the year leading to 2012’s International…
Warnings that worshippers at the closing Mass for the World Meeting of Families run a risk of contracting infectious diseases have been overstated, a leading doctor has said. Dr Jack Lambert, consultant in infectious diseases in Dublin’s Mater Hospital, told RTÉ Radio it was “very unlikely” that pilgrims to the August 26 Mass in the…
“Please just make it stop!” tweeted Health Minister Simon Harris on Sunday last in connection with a report on a conference on Humanae Vitae at the weekend. “Increasing access to & availability of contraception is and will remain public health policy. Religion plays an important role for many on an individual basis – but it…
The Pope’s’ decreeing capital punishment ‘inadmissible’ follows in papal footsteps, writes Greg Daly There’s change and there’s change. To listen to some of the more feverish reactions to news last week of Pope Francis’ decision to change the Church’s teaching on the death penalty, one might think that change means one thing and one…
Pope Francis’ attempts to address abuse in the Church have been disappointing, the former head of the Irish Church’s child protection board has said. Commenting on claims that the Pope has utterly failed to tackle the issue, Ian Elliott, who headed the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church, agreed, saying: “He has…
Some arguments for removing Ireland’s blasphemy law are dubious at best, writes Greg Daly The Constitution’s provisions concerning blasphemy are an embarrassment to Irish diplomats and would-be statesmen. Such, at least, seems to be the import of comments last month from Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan on plans to hold a referendum in October on…