JANUARY The new year began with the Dáil preparing to debate a full motion condemning the persecution of Christians in the Middle East. This was sparked by the failure of politicians to include Christians in a motion attacking the treatment of Iraq’s Yazidi minority by the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) – an omission described as “outrageous” by Bishop John McAreavey. Mark Zuckerberg, founder…
Jesus said that when we welcome the stranger we also welcome him, said the Bishop of Elphin in his Christmas message, and that this sends a message of “solidarity with refugees”. The tradition of lighting a candle in the window on Christmas Eve is a way of saying that if the Holy Family were looking…
Only half the recommendations from State’s working group on asylum seekers have been implemented or initiated, according to the Irish Immigrant Support Centre. An audit by Nasc of the Government’s progress in implementing the recommendations in the July 2015 report compiled by the Working Group on the Protection Process and Direct Provision, chaired by retired…
An influential publication within the country’s largest Protestant denomination has insisted that any debate on abortion in the Republic must keep the right to life of the unborn to the forefront. An editorial in the Christmas edition of the Church of Ireland Gazette also says that “it would be a mistake to think that the…
Charities have said that the 39% increase in postal rates on a card or letter posted within Ireland is having an effect on the sale of Christmas cards which generate revenue. Earlier this year, An Post increased the cost of a posting a letter within Ireland from 72c to €1. “Orders from fundraising groups are…
A prominent Belfast-based priest has rejected attempts to turn an open letter he signed on the issue of Brexit into a push for abortion in the North. Passionist Fr Gary Donegan was one of 200 leading figures in the broader nationalist community who signed the letter to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar expressing “frustration and growing concern…
A group of children and their families used the Christmas season to help reinforce the message that Christ is at the centre of the festival by distributing ‘baby Jesus’ figures to families to place in their homes. The project called ‘Jesus has been left out’ aims to put Jesus back to the centre of Christmas…
The Rutland Centre, Ireland’s foremost addiction treatment centre, has announced details of its Family Support Services for 2018. The Centre will operate workshops throughout the New Year to support family members of people affected by addiction. Maebh Leahy, the centre’s chief executive, said: “No matter what the addiction is, whether it’s alcohol, drugs, sex, food…
Cork’s newly regenerated Nano Nagle Place has been hailed by former President Mary McAleese as a “living showcase” of the life, work and legacy of the Presentation Sisters’ founder. Speaking at the official opening of the €10.5m heritage centre, Dr McAleese said it was “not just a place where Nano Nagle’s history is celebrated but…
For this scripture group, Christmas came early, writes Chai Brady After two years of hard grind four local women’s dreams came to fruition when a new crib was unveiled in the Gaeltacht village of Moycullen, Co Galway. The vision of the project was to bring “the true meaning of Christmas to the very heart…
Chai Brady
Greg Daly
Susan Gately