A commitment from Stormont to launch an inquiry into mother and baby homes in Northern Ireland has been hailed as a “watershed moment” by Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill. The Northern Irish Executive is committed to the “unequivocal and full implementation” of the recommendations set forth by an expert panel, which included measures such as…
US President Joe Biden sent the Irish rugby team a prayer and asked them to “spread the faith” before their win against New Zealand’s All Blacks over the weekend. Mr Biden sent a letter prior to Saturday’s match wishing them luck and sending them a blessing. He said: “As the Irish blessing says, ‘Wherever you…
The Discovery Gospel Choir, Ireland’s most diverse and inclusive choir which features 14 nationalities, performed for the first time in 19 months at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church on Sean MacDermott Street as part of the Global Village Live concert. The concert, which was part of an event to promote inclusion and integration hosted…
The conviction of three men for abducting and torturing businessman Kevin Lunney sends a “very strong message” to criminals who have been intimidating people for decades in the border region, according to a Cavan-based priest. Fr Oliver O’Reilly PP of Ballyconnell, who received threats for condemning the attack from the pulpit, told The Irish Catholic…
Moves to celebrate St Brigid as a Celtic goddess, following reports a new national holiday will be celebrated in the saint’s name, have been described as “nonsense”. The founder of a monastery at the saint’s birthplace, Sr Briege O’Hare, a Poor Clare sister based in Faughart, Co. Louth, said “St Brigid is no goddess”. “She…
US property group Hines has received permission for almost 1,600 build-to-rent apartments on Clonliffe Road in Drumcondra, Dublin, the site of the old Holy Cross Seminary. Residents and locals have reportedly expressed disappointment over the move, feeling it ignores the sentiments of the community. An Bord Pleanála in its decision acknowledged that the height and…
Bishop Donal McKeown has defended bishops against the Association of Catholic Priests’ (ACP) claims that they are targeting priests, saying that both he and the bishops he knows “are trying to ensure that they do the best for their priests”. Speaking on Good Morning Ulster alongside ACP priest Fr Roy Donovan, Bishop McKeown responded to…
Chai Brady and Brandon Scott Farmers must be supported in their transition to more sustainable farming methods and the fact consumers want food as cheap as possible must be addressed, according to the bishop of Kilmore diocese. Bishop Martin Hayes, who attended COP26 in Glasgow and is the episcopal coordinator for Laudato Si’ – the…
When it comes to the relationship between religion and politics in the future, it’s the job of Churches to help people find “the better part of ourselves”, Irish EU Commissioner Mairead McGuinness has said. Speaking recently on RTÉ’s The Meaning of Life with Joe Duffy, Ms McGuinness said that the relationship the Churches have with…
200 parish churches in the Archdiocese of Dublin will now be equipped with with “tap-and-donate” card machines. The installation of card machines in parish churches was previously mooted and subsequently trialled by the archdiocese in 2019, with a spokeswoman for the archdiocese saying that “later this year [2019] we plan to roll out the ability…
Chai Brady