The al Shabaab group may at last be fighting for its own survival, writes Paul Keenan Has the al Shabaab group in Somalia shot itself in the foot? The answer seems to be ‘maybe’ based on events since The Irish Catholic last reported (The enemy from within IC 11/8/11) on a group that has…
As he prepares to travel to ”beautiful Ireland” as Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Charles Brown of Aquileia has paid tribute to the country’s legacy of missionaries. Delivering a homily at St Patrick’s Augustinian Church in Rome last weekend, the newly ordained archbishop recalled the enduring impact of Irish missionaries around the world, not least in…
Nigeria: Christians flee Boko Haram violence Christians in the north of Nigeria are fleeing south following the latest attack by radical Islamists on their community. Having threatened to target Christians if they did not leave the predominantly Muslim north, the radical Boko Haram group launched a January 6 attack on the Deeper Life Christian…
A priest exonerated of sexual abuse has returned to full ministry in his Co. Down parish. Fr Sean Cahill stepped aside from Castlewellan-Kilmegan parish in February 2010 after an allegation was made against him. However, following an investigation by the PSNI, Fr Cahill was cleared of any wrongdoing in August. On New Year’s Day,…
26 pastoral workers murdered in 2011 The year 2011 saw 26 religious and lay pastoral workers killed in the course of their work. In a document released by the Fides, the Vatican’s information service for missions, details are offered of those 18 priests, four religious sisters and four lay people who died by violence…
A national lay initiative which grew out of the Government’s decision to close Ireland’s embassy to the Holy See is set to grow in 2012 with a high-profile public meeting with political leaders scheduled later this month beside the Dáil. The group Ireland Stand Up describes itself as ”one of several national lay initiatives…
Tyrone GAA manager Mickey Harte has said that the power of prayer has helped his family to carry on over the past year since his daughter Michaela was murdered while on honeymoon in Mauritius. Just days earlier, Michaela had married John McAreavey who was to discover his bride dead on January 10 in their…
The Tullamore Gospel Choir has just concluded another successful year, Paul Keenan writes It says something of a parish choir when it not only keeps 70 members passionately involved throughout a busy year but can also maintain a long waiting list of prospective singers. This, however, is the impressive boast of the Tullamore Gospel…