Outspoken priest and campaigner for the vulnerable Fr Peter McVerry SJ has urged the Government to declare the plight of the homeless as a national emergency insisting that Covid-19 “has aggravated the underlying issues.” This comes after a report revealed that 31 homeless people have died in Dublin this year, in contrast to 35 in…

Senators and TDs have queried whether the Government plans to replace swearing religious oaths with a ‘truth statement’, describing such plans as a “false concept of pluralism”. A new bill currently being discussed proposes the use of a ‘truth statement’ in place of a religious oath or similar secular profession. Senator Rónán Mullen asked the…

An NBA (National Association of Basketball) player in the US has said that the Bible “will help bring us close together and get past skin colour”.  The Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac, who is black, was the first NBA player to stand for the national anthem after the league was postponed for 20 weeks due…

Ruadhán Jones, Chai Brady and Jason Osborne Priests in parishes in Laois, Offaly and Kildare say that the local lockdowns have been met with a mixture of “frustration and disappointment”, as most parish activities were shut down overnight. “The last time the response was fear, this time it’s more frustration,” says Fr Tom Cox of…

Chai Brady hears about the tensions and trauma following Lebanon explosion Lebanon continued to lead international headlines this week after an explosion at Beirut’s port claimed the lives of hundreds of people in a country wracked by inflation and accusations of a corrupt, now defunct, government that had “utter disregard for the value of Lebanese…

Pope Francis has hailed John Hume’s tireless commitment to the peace process. In a message read at Mr Hume’s funeral in Derry, the Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said that the Pope was saddened to hear that Mr Hume (83) had died on August 3. “Mindful of the Christian Faith that inspired John…

The Health Service Executive (HSE), in partnership with the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU), has launched a new sexual health campaign titled ‘Play it Safe’. According to the HSE’s website the aim of the campaign is to provide young adults with access to helpful information to support them in safeguarding their sexual health and wellbeing during the…

General Practitioners providing abortion services received €2.9 million in fees in 2019, according to figures released by the Health Service Executive (HSE). The figure was released in response to a query from independent TD Carol Nolan, who described it as “staggering”. Deputy Nolan said the €2.9 million was taken from the National Women and Infants…

A Dublin pub which facilitated parents who weren’t allowed to attend their children’s Confirmations due to Covid-19 by livestreaming the Mass on their TVs is gearing up to host more family members for Communions next week. The Kingswood Lodge, which is across the road from the parish church, helped parents mark the occasion as a…

Laois-based priest Fr Paddy Byrne has highlighted what he has described as the inadequacy of the State’s accommodation for asylum seekers, claiming that the coronavirus pandemic has shown the “cracks in society where the vulnerable are”. Referring to the controversial Direct Provision system, Fr Byrne said that: “One thing I’ve discovered…is that Covid-19 erupts where…