St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican was the site of Conor McGregor’s newborn son, Rían’s, Baptism last weekend. The fighter’s family were said to have arrived at the Vatican in minibuses, entering through a door that leads directly to the Choir Chapel, where baptisms can take place inside the Basilica. It is often a lengthy…
An inquiry to the HSE has revealed that there are currently 402 GPs contracted to provide abortion in the Republic, a rise on last year’s figure. A paper published by the National Women’s Council earlier this year revealed that, as of April 2020, 373 GPs had signed contracts with the HSE to provide abortions, indicating…
The Taoiseach Micheál Martin announced on Tuesday that all religious worship and weddings can proceed at full capacity from Friday, October 22. However, mask wearing and other protective measures will remain in place. This is the first time Mass can be conducted at full capacity in the South since March 2020, while this has been…
Archbishop Eamon Martin said in a podcast that the Church has a responsibility to lead mature reflections during the centenary of partition. In a podcast organised by the church leaders’ group, the archbishop of Armagh added that “there were some people within my own community that criticised me” if he said anything about the year.…
The Life Institute is pushing for a rethink of the 2018 abortion law in light of a “horrifying” increase in abortion numbers, as an independent review of the law looms
Parents are not less interested in Catholic education compared to previous generations and Catholic schools “should not shy away from ethos”, according to Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell. In his homily at the Mass for the Association of Patrons and Trustees of Catholic School (APTCS) at the Dominican retreat centre in Tallaght, Dublin, Archbishop Farrell…
Jason Osborne and Chai Brady Prominent Catholic laywomen have described comments from a priest comparing the Church’s treatment of women to the extremists of the Taliban as “very offensive”. Fr Roy Donovan, one of the clerics leading the Association of Catholic Priests, defended his comments this week admitting that it was an “extreme” comparison but…
The current trend pushing for a public holiday commemorating St Brigid as a ‘celtic goddess’ is “disingenuous” and “reflects people’s ignorance of history”, a prominent Church historian has said. Recent trends, including a campaign to make St Brigid’s day Ireland’s new public holiday, have emphasised the Celtic, pre-Christian goddess Bríg, rather than the “genuine, historical…
A leading moral theologian welcomed an intervention by Bishop Kevin Doran, who stressed the importance of having theological faculties in all Irish universities. Fr Twomey, author of The End of Irish Catholicism? and a retired professor of moral theology, said Bishop Doran’s call “struck me as quite a breakthrough and is to be applauded”. He…
The HSE confirmed that over €3 million was paid out to General Practitioners in 2020 for providing abortion, in response to a question from Laois-Offaly TD Carol Nolan. Meanwhile, just over €17,000 was spent on post-abortion care for women. Commenting on the answer she received from the HSE, Deputy Nolan said the response makes it…
Chai Brady