Pope Francis has urged Europe to look to how refugees offer the continent new life, while warning against the dangers of Islamist extremists hiding amongst genuine refugees. He urged Europe to “retake a leadership role in the concert of nations” and to “once again become the Europe which determines the path to follow, because it…

Anticipation is building for the papal trip, writes Paul Keenan

American television host and actor Mario Lopez has described Pope Francis as the “biggest star you could get” ahead of his trip to the US next week. The former Saved by the Bell actor said the Pope was “universally respected” and was considered by Catholics and non-Catholics alike as a “spiritual leader”. “He’s provoked conversation…

The leader of the Chaldean Catholic Church has advised European countries against letting sentiment guide their reactions to the crisis in the Middle East, and asked them not to prioritise Christians when accepting refugees. The Chaldean Patriarch of Baghdad, Louis Raphael I, has warned in an interview that there is a real risk of the…

The Bishop of Derry has appealed to politicians in the North to set aside their tribal differences and concentrate on tackling real issues affecting everyday lives.    The power-sharing executive in Belfast is facing collapse over allegations that the IRA still exists and killed one of its former members, Kevin McGuigan, last month. Sinn Féin…

The US Congress has begun an investigation into Planned Parenthood, with the House Judiciary Committee being the first of three committees scheduled to consider the beleaguered abortion-providers.  The investigation comes in the aftermath of the publication by the legal group Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) of a report into instances where Planned Parenthood has been accused…

Fears for staff safety have forced the Health Service Executive (HSE) to conceal the identities of staff who advised changes to a document on challenging pregnancies which has provoked the ire of pro-choice campaigners. Bereavement Care Standards following Pregnancy Loss and Perinatal Death, which details how the management of pregnancies where children were not expected…

The Arabic version of National Geographic’s August issue, which featured a cover photo of Pope Francis and a lengthy article about the Pontiff, has been banned in Saudi Arabia.  Although there has been no official explanation of the ban, it is understood that officials in the Saudi regime were alarmed by the headline that spoke…

Some of the youth group taking part in the annual pilgrimage to Lourdes with the Diocese of Meath Michael Smith and participating clergy.

Although persecution and instability has reduced Basra’s Christian population to just 10% of the 3,000 Christian families who were there before the 2003 invasion, the city’s Chaldean Catholic archdiocese has opened southern Iraq’s first Christian museum. The museum contains over 200 religious artefacts, documents, photographs, tools, clothing and furniture dating back to the 17th Century,…