It is uplifting to see many Irish people opening “the doors of their hearts and homes” to refugees from the Russia-Ukraine war, Bishop Paul Dempsey said in his St Patrick’s day message. The chairman of the bishops’ council for emigrants compared St Patrick’s experience to the plight of the Ukrainian refugees, as both were forced…
Victims and survivors of historical institutional abuse in the North of Ireland have been told the state failed to protect them from abuse, in an apology made today by five ministers in Stormont. The long-awaited apology was made by ministers Michelle McIlveen, Conor Murphy, Nichola Mallon, Robin Swann and Naomi Long, March 11. The ministers…
Heartbroken Ukrainians living in Ireland have said they are overwhelmed by the support they are receiving from parishes all across Ireland as the brutal Russian invasion of their homeland intensifies. It comes as desperate efforts are being made to accommodate up to 100,000 mostly women and children who are fleeing the onslaught in what is…
Trócaire has seen “the compassion of the Irish people coming to the fore” which has allowed them to offer aid on the ground in Poland and Ukraine amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The overseas development agency of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Trócaire is working with Caritas…
Staff reporter The Aontú representative for East Derry has criticised exclusion zone legislation which aims to ban protests or vigils outside abortion facilities as an “attack on free speech”. Aontú’s Gemma Brolly said that the legislation, introduced by Clare Bailey of the Green Party and supported by the UUP, Sinn Féin and the SDLP, also…
A Government report which made inaccurate recommendations regarding the chaplaincy and its work in the Defence Forces has been described as “bizarre”. The ‘Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces’ stated that a number of “outdated practices” should be discontinued such as “the convening of a Roman Catholic Mass associated with an induction ceremony”.…
A parent-baby prayer group centred around adoration, Scripture and prayer has begun in Portlaoise parish, Co. Laois, which seeks to allow couples and their children to pray in a safe, relaxed environment. Michelle Ward, one of the event’s organisers, told this paper it’s a “parent”-baby group, as it’s “very important” that the husbands are “very,…
A London-based author and producer who grew up in Regina Coeli has announced he is making a short film to pay homage to “Irish hero” Frank Duff. Gordon Lewis, author of the bestselling memoir The Secret Child and a music producer who worked with David Bowie, Queen and others, is set to film The Maverick,…
A Carmelite friar who visited Ireland in 1935, was killed during the Second World War in a concentration camp and who promoted peace and dialogue, will be canonised on May 15. Fr Dave Twohig of the Carmelite Order in Ireland said that Titus Brandsma is “very relevant” at a time when there is war in…
Staff reporter Senator Eugene Murphy told the Seanad that parents had contacted him saying their daughter was “full of anxiety” due to being bullied for practising her Catholic faith. Mental health Speaking in the Seanad during a debate on mental health and child and adolescent mental health services, Mr Murphy said that the parents contacted…
Ruadhán Jones
Chai Brady