Irish officials skipped an international meeting highlighting persecuted Christians, Tánaiste Simon Coveney has admitted to the Dáil. He did not give an explanation when questioned by Fianna Fáil’s Seán Haughey. The Second International Conference on Christian Persecution met in Hungary at the end of November and heard from Christians from the Middle East and other…

Primate of All-Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin has urged Catholics not to forget the suffering that is taking place in different parts of the world, particularly as a result of war and conflict. Speaking at Mass in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh over Christmas, Archbishop Martin said “there is such a need for the light of Christ…

Renowned boxing star Katie Taylor has said that every time she steps into the ring it’s like an “act of worship” over the weekend, and that she knows her future is in God’s hands. Speaking on RTÉ Radio One Extra, the lightweight world champion said that growing up in a Christian household and going to…

A champion of ecumenism, a prison chaplain and singing trio ‘The Priests’ are amongst those to be honoured by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth in her traditional new year list of awards. Tyrone-based cleric Fr Kevin Mullan is to be awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for what Buckingham Palace describes as “services to inter-Church collaboration and…

The new British government should acknowledge the “fragile peace” people of Faith have strived for in Northern Ireland and prioritse the peace process as Brexit looms,  MEP Mairead McGuinness, Vice-President of the European Parliament, has said. Following the Conservatives’ massive election victory on December 12 and Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s moves to make it illegal…

Bishop Denis Brennan marked the departure of the Adoration Sisters from Bride Street Church in Wexford with a homily praising them for their “commitment and dedication”. The sisters were present in the convent for 144 years. The historic building will be made into a residence for American students. The group of enclosed nuns was established…

Plans proposed by a Government body to place all children in mainstream schools, including those with special needs, has been dubbed “catastrophic” and “not possible”. The recommendation from the National Council for Special Education’s (NCSE) for a ‘total inclusion model’ would see children placed in mainstream school regardless of the level of their disability. Principal…

The Cathedral parish in Armagh has introduced contactless payments to meet the needs of parishioners as more and more people don’t carry cash. A new free standing portal was installed in St Patrick’s Cathedral, with Administrator Fr Peter McAnenly saying it will help support the demands of the parish. Fr McAnenly said: “It is a…

True Christmas spirit will be felt on the streets of Cork City in the run-up to Christmas Eve, as hundreds of students from 22 schools across the city don the familiar yellow jackets and rally the troops for the annual SHARE (Students Harness Aid for the Relief of the Elderly) fundraising effort. The iconic SHARE…

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McGagh   Northern Ireland’s bishops have said new abortion laws in Northern Ireland are “unjust” and that no one is obliged to cooperate with them. Currently there is a regulatory framework in place in the North that governs abortion provision until more permanent legislation is expected to be introduced in three months. “The new…