The Catholic Church has apologised for its treatment of a priest who was sexually abused as a young adult in the 1980s by a fellow member of the clergy. Fr Paddy McCafferty gave evidence in the trial of former priest James Martin Donaghy, who was jailed in 2012 for 10 years. In a statement, the Bishop…

Rayssa Leal, a 16-year-old Brazilian skateboarder competing in the Paris Olympics, used sign language to quote Scripture before winning the bronze medal in the competition. Leal, a Christian, won the bronze medal in the women’s street skateboarding final on July 28. At one point during the competition, Leal smiled into the camera and signed John 14:6, which…

Speaking on Joe Duffy’s Liveline programme last week, Deacon Frank Browne, a permanent deacon attached to Rathfarnham Parish, lamented at what he sees as a common “message that’s continually in the media” surrounding the Church and abuse; a message he believes the Church needs to robustly counter by outlining the successes of its safeguarding systems…

Church leaders in Northern Ireland say they are “appalled” by calls for “anti-Islamic” protests last weekend. A number of social media posts were shared asking for people to gather and block roads in the greater Belfast area and elsewhere. It came after two nights of violent protest in English towns last week, following a fatal knife attack…

Sr Briege McKenna, OSC, a renowned Catholic author and speaker, has started her tour across Ireland on August 5. Known for her books Miracles Do Happen and The Power of the Sacraments, she will visit Dundalk on August 16 and 17, before concluding her tour at St Patrick’s College in Maynooth on August 23. Born…

Speaking on the bank holiday Monday episode of the Pat Kenny Show on Newstalk, veteran broadcaster Pat Kenny spoke to director Neil Jordan about his memories attending annual retreats held in Manresa House, a Jesuit retreat centre in Dublin, which according to him was a mandatory excursion for the boys attending his secondary school. The…

The Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary, founded in March 1924 in Killeshandra, Co. Cavan celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving for the Centenary of their foundation on August 3 in the Cathedral in Cavan. Having just completed their 16th General Chapter, all the delegates to the chapter who came from different parts of the world were…

While Tanaiste Micheal Martin was delighted to meet a Cork hurling legend recently in Nairobi and put pictures out on his twitter (X) account, he was also talking to a hero priest who helps prevent abuse of children in Kenya. Fr Sean Barry, of the St Patrick’s Missionary Society (Kiltegan Fathers), is part of important…

The Irish Dominicans commemorated 800 years since the first Dominicans arrived in Ireland with a special Mass broadcasted by RTÉ from Knock on July 28th. The basilica was filled with Dominican nuns, sisters, lay Dominicans, the choir from St Mary’s, Co. Cork, friars, members of Dominican youth groups, and communities linked with the Order of…

Fr Pat Collins, a Vincentian priest, psychotherapist and expert in deliverance ministry, has described the controversial opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, which has been condemned by a variety of Church leaders around the globe for its depiction of The Last Supper, as not reminiscent of “the spirit of Christ of God” and being more…