Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown has criticised what he describes as the “modern secular and consumerist culture”, saying that it leaves “no place for a dissident voice” that doesn’t support it and that the political parties who adopt this ideology in the North “seem to assume that Catholic education has no place in a modern…

In his St Patrick’s Day message, Archbishop of Armagh Eamon Martin said the “legitimate anxieties” that exist in society in relation to the implications of immigration need to be recognised in order for the conversation to “move away from the extremes” and become a normal part of civil and political discourse in both the north…

MPs in the UK have been urged to acknowledge the “tremendous” Irish Catholic contribution to British life, as immigration debates descend to a “game of fear”. “The Irish Catholic contribution, both to the Catholic Church in England and Wales and to wider British life and community, has been tremendous,” Bishop Paul McAleenan told MPs. The Belfast-born…

New research reveals three out of four Irish people support Government spending on overseas aid, but climate change is down in the list of priorities and understanding of sustainable development goals (SDGs) is low. The Worldview research – published Irish charities network Dóchas – showed that 76% agree it is important to provide overseas aid,…

A new mural of Our Lady of Knock is set to be created in St Patrick’s Cathedral New York, the Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan has announced. The news was revealed by the cardinal after singer-songwriter Dana sang the hymn Our Lady of Knock at the St Patrick’s Day parade Mass over the…

Séamus Dooley, Secretary of the National Union of Journalists and former editor of the Roscommon Champion, has expressed disappointment about the lack of diversity of opinion in modern media and insisted that editors and producers need to take more risks in ensuring that more voices are brought to the table. Speaking on The State of the…

An Irish senator has called on Government to pay the amount spent on the referendum to carer/disability charities, as they have been “cavalier with public monies”. Senator Rónán Mullen, one of the few politicians who campaigned for a No/No vote in the referendum, said the Government should “come under pressure” to direct €20 million to those…

Commitments between family and parish can cause “a battle in one’s heart” for married priests, the Bishop of Waterford and Lismore said, warning against the “quick fix solution”. Bishop Phonsie Cullinan, who is Chairman for the Council for Vocations of the bishops’ conference, spoke to The Irish Catholic in Knock, Co. Mayo at an event…

The head of the Catholic Education Partnership has welcomed the dropping of plans for a ‘neutral’ ethics programme at primary level, as a new round of consultation opens. The State previously sought to introduce education about religion and beliefs (ERB), which was supposed to be a neutral approach. “We have long argued this is based…