‘There’s no better way to live,’ says broadcaster

Christians in Ireland have been urged to unite and take up the challenge of bringing fresh hope to society this Christmas. Primate of All-Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin says that hope is needed now more than ever to counter the doom and gloom in the news in recent months. In a joint Christmas message with his…

Children from the Junior Infants class in Guardian Angels’ National School, Blackrock, Dublin taking part in the annual nativity play: (l-r) Dylan, Meabh, Emily and Sabrina. Photo: Anne Collins

The Bishop of Waterford & Lismore has accused the Minister for Education & Skills of attempting to secularise the national school education system and to create a ‘one-size-fits-all’ model of school. Bishop Phonsie Cullinan also insisted that it is not true that Catholic schools are unreflective of a diverse society. He was reacting to the…

A leading member of the SDLP has warned that it would be inappropriate for any Catholic school now to indicate full support for Amnesty International considering the organisation’s policy on abortion.  Declan O’Loan, SDLP Councillor for Ballymena, said if a Catholic school “wishes to engage with Amnesty on its traditional human rights concerns, it would…

Ruairí (4) and Clodagh  (2) Connor pictured at the crib in St Gabriel’s Church, Dollymount Parish, Clontarf, Dublin.

The Church has been constant through crises and conflicts this year, writes Paul Keenan

The Pro Life Campaign (PLC) has said it hopes the decision of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) to uphold complaints made against The Ray D’Arcy Show will “set down a marker” for the way in which abortion is dealt with by the media. The complaints related to an interview with Colm O’Gorman of Amnesty…

Bishops have warned the Minister for Education not to “interfere with the ethos of faith schools” after she proposed plans to remove rules regarding religious education in national schools. Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan announced plans last week to remove Rule 68 and 69 from the Rules for National Schools next year. Rule 68 states…

Former Fine Gael party member Lucinda Creighton has said it is “ironic” that the Taoiseach Enda Kenny has now said he will contemplate a free vote in the parliamentary party in future in order to “get rid” of the abortion question. Ms Creighton, who left the party during the passage of the Protection of Life…