Staff reporter This year began with the full recognition of the Irish language by the European Union for the first time in Ireland’s history as a member state. As an official language of the EU, all documents published by the union will be translated into Irish. Welcoming the decision, parish priest of Arklow and keen…
The controversial law on the minimum pricing of alcohol has been welcomed by homelessness charity founder Fr Peter McVerry who said it is “very positive” but admitted there were downsides to the legislation. Minimum unit pricing of alcohol, enacted on January 4, aims to stop the sale of strong alcohol at low prices, which has…
Fr John Joe Duffy said the “living Church” was very active in the parish of Creeslough after their church suffered a possible €250,000 worth of storm damage. Fr Duffy was “shocked” when the sacristan of St Michael’s Church, Creeslough contacted him to say the church was “a terrible mess” after gale-storm winds overnight had damaged…
Staff reporter There have been no complaints submitted to maternity hospitals about pro-life protestors despite claims women are being harassed as they access facilities that provide abortion. An investigation conducted by Gript revealed that of the 16 out of 19 relevant hospitals, none had received a formal complaint from staff or patients regarding pro-life protestors…
The synodal journey is a “pathway not a runway” and will not give an “instant solution”, Archbishop Francis Duffy said during his homily for his installation Mass as Archbishop of Tuam. Archbishop Duffy was installed in the Cathedral of the Assumption, Tuam on Sunday, January 9, taking the reins from Archbishop Michael Neary who served…
Pro-religious freedom groups have welcomed the decision of Europe’s highest court to reject a claim by a Belfast man that he was discriminated against after Christian bakers refused to make a cake with a message promoting same-sex marriage. In a definitive judgement delivered this morning (Thursday) the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) said the…
In situations of extreme poverty, war or civil tensions, 22 Catholic church workers were murdered in 2021, according to Fides, the Vatican’s missionary news agency. The 13 priests, one religious brother, two religious sisters and six laypeople gave witness to their faith “in impoverished, degraded social contexts, where violence is the rule of life, the…
A priest at the funeral of the third victim of a road crash in Co. Tyrone said his community has paid a great price for the failure to upgrade the A5. Fr Michael O’Dwyer made his comments as hundreds of people gathered for the funeral of Nathan Corrigan (20). Petey McNamee (20) from Sixmilecross and…
Renowned sports broadcaster Marty Morrissey has recently spoken of how his belief in the afterlife has increased since the death of his mother, Peggy, in a car accident last December. Speaking to comedian Tommy Tiernan on his RTE Radio One show, ‘The Marty Morrissey Show’ on Monday, Mr Morrissey expressed how in spite of the…
In “fighting the battles of the past, we learn little”, Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown said in his new year’s homily, ahead of the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. Bloody Sunday – also called the Bogside Massacre – happened January 30, 1972 in the Bogside area of Derry, when British soldiers shot and killed 14…
Chai Brady
Ruadhán Jones
Michael Kelly