McArthurs prepare for appeal hearing A Belfast couple prosecuted for refusing to bake a cake promoting same-sex marriage have said the controversy has strengthened their faith in God and their married life. Daniel and Amy McArthur, who run Ashers Bakery, were speaking this week as they prepared to mount an appeal against an earlier court…
Category: Irish News
Terry Wogan died surrounded by family in prayer
Sir Terry Wogan spent his final hours surrounded by his family who held prayers before his death, it has been reported. Paying tribute to the broadcasting legend, Fr Brian D’Arcy told The Irish Catholic that Terry was a “wonderful” man. Acknowledging that the broadcaster was a self-described atheist, Fr D’Arcy insisted that “God knew him…
News in Brief
Limerick looks to Paris for inspiration Limerick diocese is looking to Paris for inspiration in dealing with the fall off in vocations. Bishop Brendan Leahy led a delegation of clergy from the diocese to the French capital to learn from their approach to the declining numbers of priests. “We decided to go to Paris to look at how parishes there…
Catholic ethos ‘not altered’ by Govt decision – Bishops
Staff reporter The Bishops’ Council for Education has insisted that the ethos of Catholic schools will not be altered despite the Government rescinding Rule 68. Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan last week announced changes to the Rules for National Schools, specifically the rescinding of rule 68, which stated that “a religious spirit should inform and vivify the…
Fine Gael is claiming sacked pro-life TDs’ allowances unfairly – Renua
Renua election candidates have accused Fine Gael of acting on false pretences by continuing to claim special allowances for Lucinda Creighton and other former party members. “Each political party gets a certain amount of money from the State in respect of each TD and senator to support the work of parliamentarians,” Ms Creighton’s husband Senator…
Proposed curriculum on religion a ‘gross contradiction’ – expert
Rolling out the proposed new curriculum on religion and beliefs in faith schools would be a “gross contradiction”, a leading educationalist has warned. Prof. Eamonn Conway of Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, told The Irish Catholic that the proposed curriculum would amount to “schooling pupils, at best, in an agnostic understanding of their own religion”. “To…
Bishop Leahy joins call for common Easter date
Bishop Brendan Leahy has said it would be “great” for Christian unity if Churches could agree on a common date for Easter. The Bishop of Limerick told The Irish Catholic it would be a “truly great thing to have a common date for Easter”. Noting that Pope Francis had suggested recently that he would like…
Bishops urged to embrace ‘new wind’ of Pope
A well-known priest has accused the Irish hierarchy of lacking the “dynamism” that is needed to renew the Church here. Fr Paddy Byrne told The Irish Catholic that the bishops “have to account for their own dynamism and if they are going to question it at a parish level they must question it among themselves”.…
1916 celebration a ‘mockery’ as homeless rate hits record high
Level of homelessness in Ireland is “out of control” Ireland’s “out of control” homelessness crisis makes commemorations around the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising seem hollow, according to leading campaigner Fr Peter McVerry SJ. Speaking as it was revealed that there are now more than 5,000 homeless people in Ireland, Fr McVerry told The…
Govt accuses UN of failing minorities
The Government has accused the United Nations of failing to implement its own rules to protect vulnerable minorities, including Christians, in the Middle East. Dara Murphy, the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, told the Seanad that “the Government believes the UN and the Security Council, in particular, have not…