A body representing a quarter of Catholic priests in Ireland will be hosting a number of meetings ahead of the Papal visit for the World Meeting of Families this August. The Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) will host four public regional meetings on the theme of “What do we need to say to Pope Francis…
Asylum seekers need to be properly integrated into society, both at a “psychological and emotional level” a Dublin-based priest has said. The comments come after new Government policy will allow asylum seekers in Direct Provision to work with greater ease and seek their own accommodation. It is understood that around 3,000 people will be eligible…
The leader of the DUP must put her words into action in relation to religious sectarianism, or she is simply making “empty gestures”, a Belfast-based priest has said. Fr Gary Donegan C.P., nationally renowned for his ongoing commitment to conflict resolution and peace building in the North of Ireland, said that Arlene Foster needs to…
The life of Fr Patrick Burke was celebrated in a homily by Tuam’s archbishop Michael Neary after the 38-year-old Westport-based priest died on June 25. Speaking in St Mary’s Church, Galway, where Fr Burke had his first Communion and was ordained as a priest, Archbishop Neary described the church as being Fr Burke’s “spiritual home”,…
The Diocese of Kerry is “shocked” after an ice-cream van ploughed through the gates of a church and through its entrance in Tralee last night causing extensive damage. The vehicle is believed to have been travelling at speed as it crashed through the locked iron gates of St John’s Parish Church and through the front…
Josepha Madigan urged to listen to ‘distressed’ parishioners Dublin’s Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has accused Minister Josepha Madigan of having exploited a mix-up at a parish to advocate that the Church should change core teachings. The Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, who led Fine Gael’s campaign to repeal the constitutional protections for unborn children, has…
The Vatican has given its strongest indication yet that the Irish Church in Ireland should act to prevent abortions from taking place in hospitals owned by religious orders. “The Church cannot be a party to the dirty work of others [abortion] and I don’t think that it is right that the law [in Ireland] now…
Organisers of this August’s World Meeting of Families (WMOF) are confident that they have robust mechanisms in place to prevent efforts to sabotage attendance at the gathering’s two final papal events. A Facebook page protesting against Pope Francis’ visit is encouraging people to book but not use large numbers of free tickets to ensure a…
A parish priest who anointed injured mourners immediately after they were struck by a car driven by a visiting priest has called for prayer for those recovering. Several people were injured, some severely, in the incident which occurred at about 10.20am on Monday at Mary Immaculate Church in Clondalkin, Co. Dublin. People were gathered from…
A leading theologian in the forefront of calling for liberal reforms in the Church has criticised what he has described as “incendiary” remarks by former president Mary McAleese. US-based Prof. Massimo Faggioli, an expert on Vatican II, said Mrs McAleese’s comments that infant baptism breaches human rights are unhelpful. “Making incendiary remarks has usually the…
Colm Fitzpatrick
Chai Brady
Greg Daly