Out of sight, out of mind as Ireland seeks to offload harms of surrogacy to other countries, writes Jason Osborne Government sources have reportedly confirmed media rumours over the weekend that they’re looking to ban commercial surrogacy in Ireland, while permitting it abroad in legislation set to come before Cabinet this week. If that seems…
Laois-native Fr Bill Treacy has left a loving legacy in the US, writes Jason Osborne Irish priest Fr William ‘Bill’ Treacy died Sunday, October 16 in Washington state at the age of 103, with many believing him to have been the oldest priest in the USA. Fr Treacy was well-known among Seattle’s Irish community, ministering…
With COP27 coming to an end, how to care for creation is on more minds than ever, writes Jason Osborne The 2022 United Nations Climate Change conference, COP27, is drawing to a close in Egypt, and whatever else about it, these yearly gatherings continue to spark conversation and debate about how best to address the…
Organisers of a letter from over 500 young Catholics challenging the synod on a perceived desire among young people for liberal reform have been invited to a meeting with the synodal steering committee, The Irish Catholic newspaper understands. The letter, which went viral online after being picked up by Catholic news agencies internationally, was due…
St Macartan’s Church in Augher, Co. Tyrone, has scooped the top prize in the UK’s ‘Church of the Year’ competition for 2022. St Macartan’s, also known as The Forth Chapel, is located in the Clogher Valley, dates from 1838 – 1846 and was once the cathedral of the diocese of Clogher. Speaking to The Irish…
There are more distractions than ever before and so we must develop our concentration if we’re to thrive, writes Jason Osborne We live in a world awash with distraction. Living in mega-cities (by historical standards) as we do, we’re surrounded by more stimulus every day than your average person was exposed to in a year. A…
An official portrait of the late Nobel Peace Prize winner and former SDLP leader John Hume was unveiled in Westminster on Monday. Commissioned by the Speaker’s advisory committee on works of art, the portrait was painted by Co. Down-based artist Colin Davidson. It was based on drawings he’d done during sittings with Mr Hume in…
A new prayer campaign hopes to encourage people to come forward and provide fresh information about the so-called ‘disappeared’ – people who were abducted, killed and secretly buried by paramilitaries in the North. Fr Joe Gormley of Derry Diocese, who works closely with the families who are desperate to give their loved ones the dignity…
Fr Willie Doyle SJ is one step closer to sainthood after Bishop of Meath Tom Deenihan opened October 25 the canonisation cause of the Irish World War One chaplain serving in the British army. Servant of God Willie Doyle was born in Dalkey, Co. Dublin in 1873, and entered the Jesuits in Rahan, Tullabeg, Co.…
Senator Rónán Mullen has expressed his worry that Ireland’s trade relationship with China is “compromising our Government’s vigilance” on human rights issues China stands accused of. These comments come as Government officials confirm that a Chinese “police station” in Dublin has been ordered to close. A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs said no…