The COP29 conference has concluded on November 22, and the final agreement commits $300bn per year from richer countries to the Global South to develop climate plans. “When inflation is taken into account this is a minimal increase from the commitment of 100bn made in 2009,” Trócaire said in a statement. Which falls short on…

The relics of the soon-to-be saint Carlo Acutis have recently visited Tralee, Co. Kerry. Large crowds descended to the Holy Cross Dominican Church and St Vincent’s Church, Ballyferriter – Gaeltacht Parish – in Tralee over the weekend to venerate the relics of the first Millennial Blessed Carlo Acutis (1991-2006) which are visiting from Assisi in Italy in…

In many traditionally Catholic countries, the faith that once united and inspired generations is facing a modern-day challenge: disconnection. This isn’t solely due to societal secularisation but also because Catholics often fail to actively support and grow bonds with one another in the practical aspects of life. While the Church has long been a spiritual…

Magnetically attractive, abbeys are islands of serenity in a chaotic world. And so it is that for almost two centuries, the dreamy spires of Mount Melleray Abbey, County Waterford, have acted as a beacon for travellers crossing the famous Vee Gap of the Knockmealdown Mountains. Yet, it was by chance that this renowned abbey came…

It has been six years since the former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar spoke about a new “covenant” between Church and State during Pope Francis’ visit to Ireland for the World Meeting of Families in 2018. Almost a year later, not much had happened to further Church-State dialogue, prompting the then Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin to…

A newly published book which presents the lives of many Irish people who are on the path to canonisation offers an example of courage and faith despite all the odds. Launched in Ely House in Dublin by Primate of All Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin, the book The Rock From Which You Were Hewn: The Lives…

Bishop William Crean, Bishop of Cloyne has issued an appeal to Catholic voters that when being canvassed over these days to ask prospective TDs to indicate clearly where they stand on assisted suicide/assisted death. “Our population is aging.  The cost of nursing care is increasingly difficult for families. Enormous pressure will be brought to bear…

Andy Drozdziak (CNA) The bishops of England and Wales continue to urge Catholics to “raise their voices” in opposition to an assisted suicide bill, the text of which was published earlier last week. Late on November 11, English Labour Member of Parliament Kim Leadbeater published her Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill before Parliament members vote…

The Labour Party’s proposal to move religious instruction outside of daily teaching hours in schools in the party’s recent election manifesto has prompted a senior figure in Catholic education to question what sort of alternative to religious instruction they would introduce and this is something that they haven’t addressed yet according to the CEO of…

A TD has described moves by political parties to abolish the mandatory three-day waiting period to access abortion medication and to extend the 12-week limit to allow for abortion on request as “monstrous” and “barbaric” and asked “is 40,000 abortions since 2019 not enough?”. Responding to the Labour Party and People Before Profit’s proposals to…