John L. Allen Jr.There’s no novelty in the idea of opposition to Popes, either from the Catholic hierarchy or the grassroots. What’s likely new today is the Pope’s own style, the media universe, and the accelerating polarisation of the culture, which makes everything seem louder and nastier. Anyone with eyes can see that there’s alarm and opposition to…
Category: News
Huge differences in priests’ pay across country
Cathal Barry
Parish clergy earn less than average earnings
Fr Pat Murphy RIP
The death has taken place of Fr Pat Murphy C.S.S.p. He was 85. Born in Coachford, Co. Cork, Fr Pat was ordained in 1960 and appointed to the Collège du St Esprit in Mauritius, where he taught for 15 years before moving to pastoral ministry and over three decades as a parish priest. He returned…
Enough is enough
Paul KeenanZimbabwe’s churches are no longer silent, writes Paul Keenan
All roads lead to Krakow
Peter Korchak gathers wristbands for World Youth Day pilgrims to use in Krakow for trading with other WYD participants. Some two million Catholic youths are expected to join Pope Francis in Poland for the July 26-31 faith festival. See Page 3. Photo: CNS
Guarded welcome for Government’s homelessness plan
Dublin’s Simon community has offered a guarded welcome for the Government’s action plan on housing and homelessness. Reacting to the unveiling of Rebuilding Ireland, a 114-page plan containing 84 recommendations on dealing with the housing crisis, a spokesperson for the body which works with homeless people said the document “looks promising” but cautioned that more…
Citizens’ assembly will be a ‘ridiculous sham’ – McDowell
Greg Daly
The planned Citizens’ Assembly on the Constitution is an exercise in “political cowardice” according to Senator Michael McDowell. The former attorney general and one-time Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, said in the Seanad that he was “totally opposed” to the establishment of a citizens’ assembly, describing it as “demeaning in a…
‘Momentum’ of Francis’ reforms will outlast him
Pope’s advisor insists shift in attitude is real
Bishop Nulty calls for ‘re-imagining’ of Pledge to include drugs use
Bishop Denis Nulty of Kildare & Leighlin has called for a “re-imagining” of the Pledge to reflect the dangers posed to Irish youth from sports enhancing drugs in addition to alcohol. Addressing members of the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association of the Sacred Heart during their annual pilgrimage to Knock, Bishop Nulty referred to Ireland’s continuing…
The ‘whittling down’ of religious education is unacceptable – theologian
Any “whittling down” of religious education in Catholic schools would be “unacceptable”, a leading academic has said. Speaking to The Irish Catholic this week as the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) finalised changes to the time afforded to certain subjects in primary schools, Dr John Murray of Mater Dei Institute’s Department of Theology…