Exclusion zones in Ireland would create a very dangerous precedent for denying freedom of speech and peaceful protest, Carol Nolan TD has said. Ms Nolan said that depicting every pro-life action as “threatening” or “rogue” is outrageous, and shows how “blinkered, political and unbalanced” government policy has come in this area. Her comments come after…
The Diocese of Waterford and Lismore has confirmed “work is in progress” in forming an exorcism team, but is keeping tight lipped about the facts. The priest heading the deliverance team is “still in training” and his identity can’t be revealed according to DCO Fr Liam Power. After a conversation with the bishop he told…
Leading anti-abuse campaigner Marie Collins has welcomed an initiative of the Church in Ireland to roll-out special liturgies for victims and survivors across parishes around the country. Ms Collins – who formerly advised Pope Francis on the issue – told The Irish Catholic she believed that liturgies of atonement for survivors of abuse can have…
Fr Bill Kemmy When people ask me what I ‘do for a living’, for harmless distraction I sometimes tell them that I work for a large multinational that specialises in communications and salvage. Within that admittedly lame gag lies an essential truth. The Church is in the communications business, not as an optional extra but at its…
The ordination of Bishop Larry Duffy was a powerful expression of a deep faith in Clogher, writes Greg Daly “He’s common sense down to his fingertips – a deeply spiritual man, but a very ordinary one,” a former parishioner of Ireland’s newest bishop said as the crowds struggled to make their way down the…
A prominent pro-life group is calling on Irish people to donate childcare essentials to help pregnant women and mothers with newborns as part of St Valentine’s Day. Love Both, which spearheaded the retention of the Eighth Amendment last year, is asking pro-life supporters to “show their love” by sending vouchers and/or new or unused vests…
A prominent pro-life activist who was ousted from Fine Gael’s national executive over a series of controversial tweets has had his suspension from the party overturned. Former Young Fine Gael president Barry Walsh resigned from the party’s national executive in November 2017, with the party’s disciplinary committee subsequently deciding to suspend him for 12 months,…
About 10,000 people are expected to attend this year’s 38th Galway Novena with over 300 volunteers, cathedral staff and a Redemptorist team of 12 making the event possible. The Novena will run from February 18-26 at Galway Cathedral with reflection on ‘the Joy of Love and Family Life Today’. The early morning weekday Masses will…
A two-thirds majority of people have voted to reinstate abstention from meat in particular on Fridays rather than Catholics choosing their penance. In a social media poll conducted by this paper, in which over 250 people responded, 71% called for meat to be struck from the menu like it was before a 1983 decree from…
Ireland pays tribute to pro-family advocate Tributes have poured in for pro-life advocate Nora Bennis, who died at the age of 78 on February 11. The Limerick woman, who was well-known for promoting traditional Catholic values, stood for election in both the European and General Election in 1994 and in 2016. She also initiated a group called the Irish mothers…
Chai Brady
Greg Daly