Bishop of Elphin Kevin Doran has warned that public health officials must balance the benefits of coronavirus restrictions on older people alongside the contribution over-70s make to communities. Under State guidelines, older people are now permitted to exercise daily but are still expected to avoid other public contact including with family members. Bishop Doran told…
The Vatican’s decision to allow the Sisters of Charity to gift lands to the State worth €200m for the new National Maternity Hospital has been dubbed “just wrong” as abortion will take place there. Moral theologians previously urged Rome to block the handover. Following the order’s announcement of the Holy See’s approval to transfer ownership…
Dioceses across Ireland have begun working on their own roadmaps for a return to public Masses. Archbishop Eamon Martin said at the weekend that “our parishes and dioceses have now begun to draw up their plans and ‘roadmaps’ for a return to collective prayer as soon as it is safe to do so. “It has…
Forty years on from her historic Eurovision win, Dana Rosemary Scallon has spoken about her Catholic Faith has helped her throughout life particularly during the period in the North known as ‘the Troubles’. During the RTÉ programme Dana – The Original Derry Girl broadcast this week, Mrs Scallon recalled how she felt inspired by her…
More Irish people are anxious to see a return to public Masses than pubs and restaurants with almost a quarter ranking churches in their top five. Amárach research asked people to rate which ventures or destinations they would like to open first, and whether they would feel comfortable or safe in them in terms of…
Reaching out to school students the Primate of All-Ireland drew from Gospel asking them not to be troubled and “trust in God”. Both A-Levels and the Leaving Cert have been cancelled north and south of the border due to the coronavirus pandemic. Over the weekend, Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh in his homily for the…
Singers and musicians from Christian churches across Ireland are being asked to join together in a virtual tribute and blessing for frontline workers that will be released at the end of this month. At a local level, participants are asked to select a facility which provides an essential service and to dedicate their rendition of…
Archbishop Eamon Martin has said he believes that people are growing closer to God during the coronavirus pandemic. In his Sunday homily, the Primate of All-Ireland also said that parishes were working on roadmaps to return to public Masses as soon as it is safe to do so. Archbishop Eamon said that he is “sure…
The Vatican has given approval to the Religious Sisters of Charity to gift the State lands valued at some €200 million. The move is likely to prove controversial since the land will house the new National Maternity Hospital where unborn babies will be aborted. Moral theologians have previously raised alarm bells about the nuns’ plans…
Editorial Comment It is almost two months since most Irish Catholics have been able to attend Mass. This is an unprecedented situation even in a land where the public worship of God by Catholics was forbidden and punishable by death. Churches in the North remain closed by order of the civil authorities, while according…
Chai Brady
Michael Kelly