Hollywood star Jennifer Garner has said working on a Christian film has helped to restore her own faith. The actress stars in upcoming movie Miracles from Heaven, which recounts the true story of a young girl who had a near-death experience and was later cured from a digestive disorder. Speaking to E! News the star…
Category: News
Catholic principals praised for equality stance
The North’s Minister of Education has praised Catholic school principals for their “vision and commitment to changing education” and their campaign against academic selection. Education Minister, John O’Dowd, was speaking at the annual conference of the Catholic Principals Association (CPA) in the Waterfront Hall in Belfast on Friday. He told the over 300 people at…
Church movements urged to build ‘culture of mercy’
More than 150 representatives of associations and movements of the lay faithful were urged to bring about a “culture of mercy” at a special one day conference at the weekend. Speakers at ‘Opening the Door of Mercy’, which was organised by the Council for Pastoral Renewal and Adult Faith Development of the Irish Bishops’ Conference,…
Only ideological media would ‘muzzle’ Church leaders – claim
The Irish priest who leads the Church’s lobbying campaign at the European Union (EU) has warned that only the most “ideologically driven” politicians or media outlets attempt to silence Church leaders from speaking publically. Fr Patrick Daly, General Secretary of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the EU (COMECE), insisted Catholic bishops “have a…
NI Catholic principals praised for stance on academic selection
The North’s Minister of Education has praised Catholic school principals for their “vision and commitment to changing education” and their campaign against academic selection. Education Minister, John O’Dowd, was speaking at the annual conference of the Catholic Principals Association (CPA) in the Waterfront Hall in Belfast on Friday. He told the over 300 people at…
Synod exhortation expected by end of month
Staff Reporter The Pope’s much anticipated exhortation following the Synod of Bishops on the Family is expected to be published by the end of the month. The key document, which will contain official Church teaching, is expected to address controversial issues such as whether divorced and remarried Catholics can receive Communion. Pope Francis has said that…
Slain Sisters of Charity are martyrs, says bishop
The bishop responsible for overseeing the area in which four Missionary Sisters of Charity were murdered on Friday, March 4 has said he is sure they died as martyrs. “For me there is no doubt that the sisters have been victims of hatred – hatred against our faith”, Bishop Paul Hinder, who serves as apostolic…
Classroom ‘father figures’ behind exam results boost
The principal of one of Ireland’s largest Catholic post-primary schools has credited male classroom assistants for the impressive exam results achieved by boys in his school. St Paul’s High School, Bessbrook in Co. Armagh, has almost doubled the amount of “good” GCSE passes by boys in just two years. In 2013, 36% of boys at…
World News in Brief
Maronite bishops welcome ecumenical embrace The embrace in Cuba between Pope Francis and the Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill and their subsequent Joint Declaration represent “an ecumenical and prophetic step”, the bishops of the Maronite Church have said. Recognising how the February 12 encounter had been “prompted by a shared sense of responsibility”, the Maronite bishops thanked Pope Francis for…
Catholic schools body has not endorsed transgender programme
The Catholic Primary Schools Management Association (CPSMA) has distanced itself from suggestions that it supports a programme aimed at 11 and 12 year olds which endorses the view that children can change sex. A pilot programme entitled ‘Altogether Now!’, currently being tested in some primary schools, describes itself as “supported by” an advisory group whose members…


Mags Gargan
Cathal Barry






Greg Daly