A priest who called the British army for help just 30 minutes before he was killed was “taking his life into his own hands without hesitation” to help others, according to Belfast-based Fr Paddy McCafferty. Fr Hugh Mullan, one of the 10 people shot dead during the Ballymurphy Massacre in 1971, had called for assistance…
Ireland will be in “uncharted territory” if it makes a willingness to participate in abortions a condition of employment in hospitals, Baroness Nuala O’Loan has warned. Baroness O’Loan, who has been an outspoken advocate for the conscience rights of medical professionals, was speaking after the National Maternity Hospital advertised posts stipulating that successful applicants would…
The Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland has paid tribute to a Tyrone priest after his sudden death over the weekend. Fr Phelim McKeown was a “caring and pastoral priest” who had a “particular empathy for those who were suffering and struggling in any way”. Fr Phelim was ordained in 1996 in Mullaghbawn…
Pope Francis has named Irishman Cardinal Kevin Farrell to a senior Vatican role that will see the Dublin native take on a key role between the death or retirement of the Pontiff and the election of his successor. In a communique this morning, the Holy See Press Office announced that Francis had appointed Dr Farrell…
Cindy Wooden Pope Francis has signed a decree recognising a miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed John Henry Newman, the English cardinal, clearing the way for his canonisation. The Vatican announced on February 13 that Pope Francis had signed the decree the day before. In the sainthood cause of Blessed Newman, Bishop Philip…
New bishop in appeal The Church in Ireland must do more to reach out to Catholics who feel themselves on the margins and recognise that God is still present in families where the parents are not married, Ireland’s newest bishop has said. Speaking after his ordination in Monaghan’s St Macartan’s Cathedral on Sunday, Bishop…
A major Vatican conference on atheism could help stem the tide of people leaving the Church, a leading Catholic number-cruncher has said. Speaking to The Irish Catholic ahead of the Vatican’s first conference on atheism in 50 years, Prof. Stephen Bullivant of St Mary’s University in Twickenham, London, said the Church has long realised that…
A Fianna Fáil TD has refused to answer questions on whether or not he raised the issue of Christian persecution in Iran when he met the country’s ambassador last week. Niall Collins, who is the party’s frontbench spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Trade, met with Masoud Eslami in Dublin for what he described as discussing…
There’s been a dramatic decrease in marriage counselling sessions provided by a Catholic agency, with the number of sessions halving in some areas according to new figures. Accord, who provide marriage preparation and counselling services, revealed their 2018 figures this week which show a decrease from 38,881 counselling sessions delivered in 2014 to 24,180 last…
A Christian business which refused to print civil partnership ceremony invitations to a gay man has said other groups have been targeting the business because of their decision. Drogheda-based company Beulah Print and Design were ordered to pay €2,500 after the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) found it had discriminated against a man on the grounds…
Chai Brady
Greg Daly
Colm Fitzpatrick