Debate about the role of religion in school admissions processes continues to take place in the absence of data, heedless of how oversubscription and a lack of resources are the real problems on the ground, according to the body that represents Ireland’s Catholic primary schools. Speaking to The Irish Catholic following a forum in Croke…

A new lay-led initiative is aiming to put a structure for evangelisation in place in Ireland, modelled on a successful movement in the States. A mission team from FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) has been invited to Ireland as part of The Summit ’17, which takes place at Croke Park Conference Centre in Dublin…

Chance the Rapper has revealed the influence of God in his life and how discernment has impacted his career. The Grammy Award-winning rapper is the face of Ebony magazine’s June issue in which explains that when he went to California to break his career he listened to God. “There are a lot of spaces where…

The proposed transfer of the St Vincent’s Healthcare Group to a new company independent of the Religious Sisters of Charity is subject to Vatican approval, The Irish Catholic understands. The sisters announced this week that they intend to end an involvement in healthcare that dates back to 1834. Although the now mostly elderly sisters no…

Woman tells of eight-year long ordeal Pope Francis has been called on to visit a direct provision centre during his expected trip to Ireland next year, in order to highlight the treatment of asylum seekers. Fr Paddy Byrne, a curate in Portlaoise parish who ministers to the residents of the Montague Hotel, a direct provision…

The Pope has dubbed the latest attack on Coptic Christians in Egypt as “another act of ferocious violence”. The most recent religious terror attack in the country left 29 dead and about 25 wounded when a bus taking the Christians to a remote monastery was fired upon. The so-called Islamic State claimed responsibility for the…

Priest calls on Pope Francis to visit direct provision centre in Ireland Pope Francis has been called on to visit a direct provision centre during his expected visit to Ireland next year, in order to highlight the treatment of asylum seekers. Fr Paddy Byrne, a curate in Portlaoise parish who ministers to the residents of…

An Irish senator has hit out at critics who use Protestants as an excuse to get rid of the Angelus. David Norris spoke in a Seanad meeting last week saying that he strongly rejects claims that Protestants want to do away with the Angelus, dubbing it “political correctness gone mad”. “Protestants are used as a…

The Angelus aired in its current form has been described as “hogwash” and that it should be “more Christian”. Senator David Norris blasted the Angelus broadcast, which was revamped in 2009, as being disaffected of any Christian meaning. He added that some of the images equated to “old fellas doodling”. However Roger Childs, the Head…

Ireland’s 2013 children’s rights referendum looks in hindsight like an exercise in “making ourselves feel good”, a leading priest has said. Commenting on Dr Geoffrey Shannon’s audit of child protection procedures in An Garda Síochána, which revealed grave shortcomings in child protection across State agencies, Redemptorist Fr Gerry O’Connor, a member of the Association of…