A five-year investigation into the treatment of unmarried mothers in State-funded Church-run homes has said that the blame for their “harsh treatment” rests primarily with their families but that both the Church and State condoned this. The report of the ‘Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and certain related matters’ was published this afternoon (Tuesday) and…
RTÉ’s New Year’s Eve sketch, which depicted God being arrested for sexual assault, did not comply with the broadcaster’s own standards and regulations, RTÉ said today. In a statement, the national broadcaster said its Editorial Standards Board found that the sketch was not in line with a number of their provisions. These included Section 39…
Chai Brady, Ruadhán Jones and Jason Osborne A satirical sketch broadcast by RTÉ accusing God of rape has been dubbed “scurrilous” and “disgraceful” and has provoked thousands of complaints from viewers. The national broadcaster logged almost 5,000 complaints by the time this paper went to print regarding the New Year’s Eve broadcast which depicted a man…
Local priests have called for a thorough, transparent investigation and calm among the community following the fatal shooting by gardaí of a 27-year-old man in Clonee, Dublin last week. Fr Mathew Binoy SVD of Mountview and Blakestown Parish told The Irish Catholic there is “a lot of tension in the area” after George Nkencho was…
Irish Catholic businessman Declan Ganley received confirmation that the State has until January 22 to deliver their opposition to his constitutional challenge to restrictions on religious worship. Once the High Court receives the State’s opposition they will set a date for the judicial review, which Mr Ganley expects to be in early February. Mr Ganley…
Figures published by the Department of Housing show the number of people who were homeless in November fell by 253 to 8,484 – compared to 8,737 in the previous month. There was also a drop in the number of children who are homeless to 2,452 – a fall of 190. With the country re-entering Level…
Michael Kinsella of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) said Ireland should highlight the “very pressing and urgent issues surrounding Christian persecution” now that they are on the UN Security Council. Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín has also spoken up about the need to tackle religious persecution “whenever and wherever it happens”. Their comments come…
Fr Paddy Byrne has hailed the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine as “hope” yet has offered criticism of the delays in getting the vaccine to the Irish people. Speaking to The Irish Catholic, the Abbeyleix priest said he believes getting the vaccine to the population “must be more than a 9-5 job”, and said he…
The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly TD, has announced a strategic multi-year plan to expand adult critical care capacity from 255 beds to 446 beds. Work on the plan has already begun and will see 321 adult critical care beds in place by the end of 2021, compared to 255 at the start of this…
EXCLUSIVE The country’s most senior Churchman has warned that a united Ireland will never be achieved unless nationalists are willing to listen to those who are fearful of the prospect of reunification. In an exclusive interview with The Irish Catholic ahead of the 2021 anniversary of the partition of the island of Ireland, Archbishop Eamon…
Michael Kelly
Chai Brady