BREAKING NEWS   The conviction of Cardinal George Pell has been upheld after the Supreme Court in Victoria dismissed his appeal today. In a 2-1 ruling, the court rejected the Australian prelate’s appeal of a unanimous jury verdict in December that Pope Francis’ former finance minister was guilty of molesting two 13-year-old choirboys in Melbourne’s…

The Pope’s representative in Ireland has poured cold water on speculation that Diarmuid Martin could soon be replaced as Archbishop of Dublin. Dr Martin – who is due to tender his resignation on turning 75 in April next year – has hinted on several occasions that he would like to go early. Ahead of the…

With just a month to go, excitement is building ahead of the canonisation of Dublin’s adopted saint Cardinal Newman. Fr Bill Dailey CSC from the University of Notre Dame Newman Centre for Faith and Reason in Dublin, who will lead a pilgrimage in association with The Irish Catholic – said he is “thrilled” that there…

Religious congregations named in the Ryan Report have so far contributed just under half of what they voluntarily offered to pay to the State’s cost of compensating former residents of the institutions investigated. According to a written answer from Education Minister Joe McHugh released this week, the 18 congregations have handed over €231million to the…

For the first time in 186 years St Malachy’s College in Belfast will not have a priest on its teaching staff after it was announced the last of the clergy will leave before the new term. Fr Michael Spence will take up a new appointment in the Diocese of Down and Connor as the Curate…

Following the announcement of the latest summer appointments, it has emerged that a Down and Connor clergyman has become the youngest parish priest in Ireland. Fr Conor McGrath, 32, has been appointed as the parish priest of Glenravel and the administrator of The Braid. In addition, he will also provide chaplaincy services to schools in…

Churches in the Archdiocese of Dublin are having difficulties with contactless payment card machines, with some saying the machines being trialed are “too difficult to use”. Five churches in Dublin are part of the scheme aimed at giving parishioners more options when they decide to donate. Co-PP of Dundrum Parish, Fr John Bracken whose church…

A Belfast parish priest has said the local community is devastated as news emerged on Tuesday that Nóra Quoirin’s body had been found. Nóra – whose mother Meabh is from the parish of St Brigid’s in South Belfast and was baptised there – went missing on a family holiday in Malaysia over a week ago.…

A hugely-successful pro-life film is set to hit Irish cinema screens by the end of September, pending talks with distributors here. The film Unplanned has been viewed by about two million people according to producers and has been screened in 12 countries including Canada and the US. Starring Ashley Bratcher it tells the story of…

A close confidant of jailed Australian Cardinal George Pell has said he thinks a desire for a high-profile ‘win’ by police may have influenced the decision to prosecute the Churchman. Dr Pell (78) was found guilty last December of sexual abuse and sentenced to six years in prison. Judges will reveal on August 21 whether…