The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has banned an Irish-born Legionaries of Christ priest from publicly exercising his priestly ministry for 10 years after he was convicted in Chile of sexually abusing a young girl. Fr John O’Reilly was convicted in Chile in 2014 and sentenced to four years of ‘supervised liberty.’ When…
While Catholic marriage ceremonies are still the most popular in Ireland there has been dramatic decline, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The figures also reveal Irish grooms are now the oldest on record. The CSO data for last year shows that on average men are now aged 36.4 when they tie the knot.…
18-year-olds leave care with nowhere to go Chai Brady and Hannah Harn A group that supports vulnerable teenagers has accused Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone of ignoring the plight of young people who fall into homelessness after leaving State care. Neil Forsyth of the Irish Aftercare Network told The Irish Catholic that he believes Ms Zappone is “blinkered” on…
President Michael D. Higgins has led tributes to Trócaire aid worker Sally O’Neill who died following a road accident in Guatemala. Mrs O’Neill, a native of Co. Tyrone, worked for the Church’s overseas aid agency for some 37 years in developing countries. Reacting to the news of her death along with three colleagues, Archbishop Eamon…
A call from Sinn Féin for a State takeover of Catholic schools would trample on the rights of parents, theologian Dr John Murray has warned. Speaking in the Seanad last week, the party’s education spokesman Paul Gavan said “we must work towards ending the patronage system completely”. It is the patronage system that underpins the…
The Orange Order must drop its “out-of-date”, sectarian regulations and embrace more tolerant attitudes towards Catholics, a prominent Protestant minister has urged. Dr Ken Newell, a former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, said there are “lingering elements” of sectarianism in the loyalist organisation, and that the Irish lodge should be more tolerant of…
Dissident republican groups bent on creating friction and curtailing free speech is a “form of fascism”, a Derry-based priest has said. Fr Joe Gormley of Creggan parish told this newspaper that attempts to stop the police from talking to young people about critical issues shows the “fascist element” of dissident republicanism. His comments after the…
Ireland’s longest-serving diocesan bishop has hailed the appointment of his successor as “a new beginning” for the Diocese of Cork and Ross. Bishop John Buckley, who has headed the Diocese of Cork and Ross since 1998, welcomed the announcement that Dublin archdiocesan chancellor Fr Fintan Gavin [pictured] will succeed him as Bishop of Cork, saying…
The majority of people would reject the introduction of female deacons to their parish according to a survey conducted by this paper. Over 1,300 people responded to a social media survey with two-thirds saying they would not support their diocese if this was considered. Overall 979 people voted against the idea, while 361 approved. This…
The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) this week launched #ThePowerofVote campaign, calling on citizens to use their vote in the upcoming European Parliament elections to protect the rights of asylum seekers and refugees. Recent practices in Europe, such as the absence of safe and legal pathways to protection; the extensive use of detention of asylum seekers;…
Chai Brady
Colm Fitzpatrick
Greg Daly