Vatican-Beijing talks are back on track, writes Paul Keenan

One of the foremost Catholic Bible teachers in the world today will be the guest speaker in Belfast at an event organised by the Living Church office in the Diocese of Down & Connor. Jeff Cavins will be travelling from the USA to the Waterfront Hall in Belfast on Saturday, November 21 for a day…

Corkman Michael O’Flynn was recently honoured by Pope Francis when he was appointed a Knight of Saint Gregory. Such papal knighthoods are awarded to those who have given outstanding service to the Church on a voluntary basis. Mr O’Flynn, who is well known as a developer, has been advising the diocese over the past number of…

About 40 women with intellectual disabilities will be paid compensation for their time in Ireland’s Magdalene laundries, following the passage of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill. Around €18 million has so far been paid in compensation to 500 women who have received sums of up to €100,000 each, but it has not been possible to…

Bishop Noel Treanor of Down and Connor, along with Auxiliary Bishop, Dr Anthony Farquhar, and other local members of the clergy, gathered with parishioners of the Parish of Bright and surrounding areas to celebrate the 150th Anniversary Mass for St Patrick’s Church, Legamaddy. Bishop Treanor celebrated the Mass, during which both the parish choir and…

Hollywood legend Maureen O’Hara, who passed away at the weekend, once said her greatest fear would be “not getting into Heaven”. The flame-haired actress, who was born in Dublin in 1920, passed away in her sleep at her home in Boise, Idaho on Saturday at the age of 95.  When a journalist asked the film…

Theologian, lecturer and author, Fr Brian Grogan SJ, is leading a workshop on The Joy of the Gospel at Knock Shrine next month. Taking place on November 28, the workshop will explore Pope Francis’ call to us in his 2013 Apostolic Exhortation, The Joy of the Gospel, a document which addresses topics such as evangelisation in the…

Staff reporter Pope Francis has been voted by young people as one of the most inspiring and admirable figures in the world. The Pope came second in World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Annual Survey 2015, one of the most geographically diverse surveys of millennials, just behind Nelson Mandela. The more than 1,000 respondents to the survey…

US lawmakers have voted to defund the Planned Parenthood abortion business, which has been caught selling aborted babies and their body parts. The Republican-dominated House of Representatives passed a bill to defund the controversial organisation after the scandal emerged. “Women have the most to gain from congressional action to reroute these tax dollars to community…

Campaigners have said Pope Francis’ call for equality for the Traveller community will be used to advocate for their rights “for many years to come”. More than 300 Irish Travellers attended an audience with Pope Francis on Monday, to mark the 50th anniversary of the first ever visit by a Pontiff to a gypsy camp…