The rabbi of Dublin’s Jewish community has paid tribute to the late Lord Jonathan Sacks who died at the weekend. Rabbi Sacks (72) died after a short illness and was one of the most-respected voices of faith in contemporary Britain and was widely known across the English-speaking world for his writing on multiculturalism and inter-religious…

Irish charity Ruhama has expressed their hope that the review of current sexual offences legislation will result in improved law enforcement and greater public awareness around the issue of prostitution in Ireland. In a statement to The Irish Catholic, Ruhama Communications Officer Aimée Miller said, “Ruhama has a firm belief that the best practice legislative…

While the cry from across the Atlantic has been for every vote in the US election to be counted, there is another poll that is captivating residents of one Co. Wexford town just as much. Just three weeks ago – to the great relief of many in the town and surrounding area – the Department…

Bishop Kevin Doran has criticised the “narrow circumscription” of priests’ public ministry under the current travel regulations. The regulations mean that pizza deliverers and bicycle engineers have more freedom to work than priests, the bishop of Elphin said. Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Bishop Doran said that there’s an assumption that all priests do is…

The redevelopment of the first convent founded by Presentation Sisters’ founder Nano Nagle has won the Urban Design award in a prestigious national competition. The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland gave the award, describing the South Presentation convent in Cork City as “an exemplary urban renewal project”. The project, completed in 2017, Nano…

Ireland’s unofficial chaplain to the showbiz community has warned people to be careful about Covid-19, revealing his own diagnosis. Fr Brian D’Arcy has revealed: “Someone I was in the same room with – properly socially distancing I should add – tested positive. I had no symptoms. I was feeling a bit off but I’d just…

The 4 Corners Festival have announced that their ninth annual gathering will take place online from 31 Jan–7 Feb 2021. The theme will be ‘Breathe’, “emanating from the Hebrew word Ruach which means ‘breath’ or ‘spirit’ – the source of life, inspired by the numerous appearances of that word in the Bible,” according to a…

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has insisted that the ministry of the 19 priests of Dublin Diocese who died over the last years lives on in their parishes. “We miss them. Yet their memory remains. Their ministry is not forgotten,” he said in a homily at Mass livestreamed from Dublin’s pro-cathedral on Saturday morning. “Much of that…

Two nuns and a priest are among the 14 people who are to receive the Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad for 2020. Sr Patricia Murray and Fr Kevin O’Hara SMS are being recognised for their work for peace, reconciliation and development in Italy and Nigeria respectively. Sr Louise Horgan is being rewarded…

Students for Life Ireland have criticised famed soap Emmerdale’s storyline which “suggests that unborn babies with Down Syndrome should be aborted”, describing the message as both “ableist and unacceptable”. Down Syndrome The spokesperson for the group, Leanne Lynch, said, “We all know someone with Down’s Syndrome, and we all see the joy they bring to…