Contract hitch halts audit of Vatican’s finances The first ever audit of Vatican finances by a major global firm has been cut short after – it is understood – the Holy See’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, raised concerns. The audit by Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) was “suspended immediately” on April 12, it has been revealed, when Archbishop Giovanni Angelo Becciu…

The theme of ‘Mercy: Compassion and Healing’ will be explored at the fourth annual All Saints Round Table Gathering hosted by Ballymena Parish in Co. Antrim next month. Margaret McNulty of Embrace, an interdenominational group of Christians working together, will speak about her work promoting a positive response to people from ethnic minorities living in…

Dana to perform church fundraiser Dana will perform a concert for the Both Parish Renovation Fund, which is going towards repair work on the three parish churches: St Patrick’s in Derrygonnelly, St Faber’s in Boho and Immaculate Conception in Monea. There are a number of parish fundraisers being organised including a walk to Croagh Patrick on June 4 and…

The St Vincent’s Healthcare Group (SVHG) has rejected suggestions that an order of religious sisters is obstructing plans to relocate the National Maternity Hospital. In an article headed “Nuns obstruct maternity hospital plan”, The Sunday Times reported at the weekend that the SVHG, which is owned by the Religious Sisters of Charity, will not allow…

A streamlined form for Irish couples getting married can finally be rolled-out having been delayed for almost two years over confusion about whether the move needed Vatican approval or not. A decision was made some years ago to make the mandatory Pre-Nuptial Enquiry Form more accessible for priests and would-be spouses. Diocesan representatives met in…

Pope’s meeting with Sanders wasn’t endorsement Pope Francis has dismissed suggestions that he has somehow endorsed US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders by meeting with him in the Vatican. The Vermont senator was in the Vatican to participate in the ‘Centesimus Annus’ Conference on Catholic Social Teaching and had stayed the night at Casa Santa Marta, where the Pope lives. Speaking…

The Church has been called to harness Confirmation programmes to tackle the problem of crime and violence among young people in disadvantaged communities.  Former gangster John Pridmore told The Irish Catholic that Confirmation programmes are an “opportunity” to show children “how they can use their gifts to help others rather than hurt people”. “There are…

Relatives carry the coffin of a relative on a vehicle in Pedernales, Ecuador, after an earthquake struck on April 16 off the country’s Pacific coast. At least 413 people died, nearly 3,000 were injured and thousands were left homeless in the magnitude-7.8 earthquake. original photo: CNS

Reluctance to fund necessary services is endangering Ireland’s vulnerable children, a leading child protection expert has said. Commenting on the number of children known to the social care system without being properly investigated, Shane Dunphy told The Irish Catholic that “there are almost 30,000 open cases which have been referred and accepted as in need…

One way of looking at the Francis pontificate is that he’s universalising what the Latin American Church agreed to at its famous continent-wide gathering in 2007, held at the Marian shrine of Aparecida in Brazil. The signature tunes of the Latin American Church to come out of that meeting – missionary discipleship, pastoral conversion, an…