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…

An American football team should visit the site of the only officially-recognised Marian apparition in the United States after pulling off a so-called ‘Hail Mary pass’, a local bishop has said. Pointing out that the community of Champion in Wisconsin’s Green Bay diocese is home to the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help, Milwaukee’s…

Ceremonies to celebrate the feast of St Brigid, February 1, at her birthplace in Faughart, (near Dundalk) Co. Louth will commence with Mass in the Oratory of St Brigid’s Shrine at 10.30am. Personal blessing with the relic of the saint will be available at the shrine from 11.30-1pm and from 2-4.30pm. The annual candlelight procession…

A group of 55 young people from across the Diocese of Kilmore were recently presented with their Pope John Paul II Awards at a ceremony in the chapel of the Diocesan Pastoral Centre in Cavan by Cardinal Seán Brady, Archbishop-Emeritus of Armagh and a native of the diocese. Three young people received bronze awards, 10…

Satellite photos reveal monastic devastation Iraq’s oldest Christian monastery has been destroyed by ISIS, it has been revealed. Satellite images have confirmed that Deir Mar Elia – or St Elijah’s – a 1,400-year-old monastery outside Mosul, has been destroyed by the jihadist militants. It is believed the monastery was demolished between August and September 2014, shortly after Mosul was…

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…

A Co. Mayo parish priest is on a mission to improve his parishioners’ health with an Operation Transformation fitness programme under the slogan ‘pray together, weigh together’. Based on the health and fitness programme airing on RTÉ One, 52 parishioners in Tourmakeady are going for regular walks and fitness classes with their PP Fr John…

Cardinal Sean O’Malley will lead the first ever chartered pilgrimage from the Archdiocese of Boston to Knock this summer, following a transatlantic pilgrimage from New York last year. The Boston pilgrims will travel to Ireland’s National Marian Shrine by an Aer Lingus operated chartered flight to Ireland West Airport Knock on July 14. The highlight…

An Easter Rising specialist has criticised as “inaccurate” the depiction of the Church in RTÉ’s drama Rebellion. Historian Dr Shane Kenna told The Irish Catholic that the programme’s depiction of the then Archbishop of Dublin William Walsh was particularly “unfair”. “Walsh was a nationalist and while he wasn’t a fan of the Rising he was…

Eighth amendment key election issue – claim The key human rights issue of our time is the right to life of the unborn, and defence of the Eighth Amendment must become a central issue in the upcoming general election, Family and Life’s legal advisor told a gathering in Kildare recently, writes Susan Gately. Tens of thousands of Irish people were “walking…