New bishop in appeal The Church in Ireland must do more to reach out to Catholics who feel themselves on the margins and recognise that God is still present in families where the parents are not married, Ireland’s newest bishop has said. Speaking after his ordination in Monaghan’s St Macartan’s Cathedral on Sunday, Bishop…
A major Vatican conference on atheism could help stem the tide of people leaving the Church, a leading Catholic number-cruncher has said. Speaking to The Irish Catholic ahead of the Vatican’s first conference on atheism in 50 years, Prof. Stephen Bullivant of St Mary’s University in Twickenham, London, said the Church has long realised that…
A Fianna Fáil TD has refused to answer questions on whether or not he raised the issue of Christian persecution in Iran when he met the country’s ambassador last week. Niall Collins, who is the party’s frontbench spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Trade, met with Masoud Eslami in Dublin for what he described as discussing…
There’s been a dramatic decrease in marriage counselling sessions provided by a Catholic agency, with the number of sessions halving in some areas according to new figures. Accord, who provide marriage preparation and counselling services, revealed their 2018 figures this week which show a decrease from 38,881 counselling sessions delivered in 2014 to 24,180 last…
A Christian business which refused to print civil partnership ceremony invitations to a gay man has said other groups have been targeting the business because of their decision. Drogheda-based company Beulah Print and Design were ordered to pay €2,500 after the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) found it had discriminated against a man on the grounds…
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone has criticised what she described as sensationalised’ headlines and media reports about the Tuam Mother & Baby Home. Ms Zappone was speaking during a Seanad debate on the issue. She was pressed on the issue by Independent NUI Senator Rónán Mullen who expressed concern on behalf of…
While many Hollywood celebrities are known for having liberal sexual lifestyles, popstar Justin Bieber has revealed that he remained celibate for a year prior to his 2018 marriage with model Hailey Baldwin, for religious reasons. Speaking with Vogue about his relationship with his now-wife, Bieber confessed to giving up sex for a year, and admitted…
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…
Greg Daly
Colm Fitzpatrick
Chai Brady
Michael Kelly