A global programme to raise awareness among nurses of human trafficking has been welcomed by Bishop Denis Brennan of Ferns, who represents the Irish bishops in an international anti-trafficking alliance. The initiative, a partnership between the International Council of Nurses, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, HSE and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland,…

Over 100 singers and musicians from around the country attended the 50th Annual Irish Church Music Association’s summer school in St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, last week on the theme ‘Rejoice and Sing’. This year the Irish Church Music Association’s 50th summer school was preceded by a two-day jubilee conference being held in partnership with the National Centre…

The Editor-in-Chief and US CEO of the UK-based Catholic Herald have left the company against the background of disagreements with board members over the magazine’s November 2018 American expansion. July 4 saw longtime Herald Editor-in-Chief Damian Thompson announce on Twitter that he and the magazine’s “new owners” did not agree on the company’s “future direction”,…

Pro-life organisations in the North have sharply criticised a vote in the House of Commons to introduce widespread access to abortion throughout Northern Ireland. Tuesday evening saw British MPs voting 332-99 in favour of an amendment to a bill connected to the Northern Ireland Executive Formation bill. The amendment was tabled by Labour MP Stella…

Chai Brady and Colm Fitzpatrick The Taoiseach has apologised for incendiary comments he made yesterday which stereotyped priests as hypocrites. Speaking in Dublin Castle today, Leo Varadkar apologised for his remarks in which he compared Micheál Martin to “one of those parish priests who preaches from the altar, telling us to avoid sin while secretly…

EXCLUSIVE   A Tipperary priest has called on the Taoiseach to apologise for his “offensive and derogatory” remarks which likened Micheál Martin to hypocritical priests. Speaking in the Dáil yesterday afternoon, Taoiseach Leo Varakar compared the opposition leader to “one of those parish priests who preaches from the altar, telling us to avoid sin while…

Families must allow and “support” their loved ones to become priests in light of a shortage in vocations, Ireland’s newest bishop has said. Bishop Fintan Gavin (53) made the call at his ordination over the weekend, which saw him take the reins of the Diocese of Cork and Ross. The diocese is particularly afflicted by…

Sources close to Conor Gannon, the former Rome-based Dublin seminarian falsely accused in 2018 of being kicked out of the Irish College in Rome for a sexual liason with another seminarian has said that Mr Gannon is “greatly relieved that he can now move on with his life”. Claim In recent days Mr Gannon received…

The announcement that Blessed John Henry Newman, the 19th-Century founder of UCD, will be canonised on October 13 has been hailed as “wondrous news” by the director of the Notre Dame-Newman Centre for Faith and Reason. Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Fr Bill Dailey CSC said: “It’s wondrous news for everyone associated with Newman University…

Jean Vanier challenged Catholics to examine what the Church should be like, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has said. Speaking at a celebration of the L’Arche founder’s life at the Riasc Centre in Swords, Co. Dublin, the archbishop of Dublin praised the late humanitarian’s understanding of the Beatitudes as rooted in “a deep and thoughtful insight into…