Just 1.2% of applicants for admission turned down by schools in Dublin were on the basis of no baptismal certificate, a new survey by the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association (CPSMA) has shown. Prompted to undertake the study amid an ongoing debate around the so-called ‘baptism barrier’ and Minister for Education Richard Bruton’s proposed consultation…

Killaloe’s Bishop Fintan Monahan has welcomed an ambitious new plan to revive rural Ireland and said the Church will do its best to be proactive in maintaining rural life. The bishop’s comments come following the announcement of ‘Realising our Rural Potential: Action Plan for Rural Development’, a €60 million plan intended to revive Ireland’s rural…

Irish bishops felt encouraged to face challenges by their Roman encounter, writes Michael Kelly It’s easy to dismiss the traditional ad limina visits that bishops make to Rome as out-dated. In an age of email and instant messaging, it hardly seems necessary for bishops from all over the world to travel to Rome every five…

Michael Kelly in Rome and Paul Keenan in Dublin Pope Francis has encouraged the Church in Ireland to maintain and enhance the strong values of Catholic schools, despite a background of negativity from some vested interests. Speaking to the bishops in a closed-door meeting at the Vatican on Friday, the Pontiff said that to be…

Pope Francis speaking with Archbishop Eamon Martin, Primate of All-Ireland, at the Irish bishops’ ad limina visit to Rome this week. Photo: Servizio Fotografi co/L’Osservatore Romano

Staff reporter A family who was advised to let their seriously-ill infant son die in hospital rather than bring him home, has spoken of the joy he gave them through 15 years of life with them after confounding doctors’ predictions. Seán Holland, who died last month, was given just two years to live when he…

Staff reporter Ireland’s most senior Churchman has assured priests that their dedication and resilience in difficult circumstances does not go unnoticed by the hierarchy and is a key point for discussion during meetings in Rome. Speaking at the opening Mass for the bishops’ ad limina pilgrimage to Rome, during which they will meet with Pope…

Northern pro-lifers are determined to make the protection of unborn children a key issue in the North’s coming election. Northern Secretary James Brokenshire announced elections for a new Assembly on March 2, following the collapse of the Executive after the resignation of Martin McGuinness as Deputy First Minister and the refusal of Sinn Féin to…

Corrymeela asked voters to consider ‘a worse alternative’ Inclusion and cooperation should be priorities in the North’s upcoming elections, Ireland’s oldest peace and reconciliation centre has said. In a statement following the announcement of the March 2 election, Corrymeela community leader Pádraig Ó Tuama said that while reconciliation is difficult, “the alternative is worse”. Insisting…