The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has sued the US government in a bid to force Catholic agencies to choose between providing abortions for illegal immigrants and ceasing to work with the government in caring for vulnerable immigrants. The ACLU claims that shelters run by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) have on…

Staff Reporter World champion Manny Pacquiao has turned to God in preparation for his highly anticipated fight to settle the debate about who is the world’s best pound-for-pound boxer. The Filipino fighter takes on Floyd Mayweather in what has been dubbed ‘the fight of the century’ in the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas…

The Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference has spoken out against “xenophobic violence” in Durban, in statement signed by conference spokesman, Pretoria’s Archbishop William Slattery. Five of South Africa’s 50 million inhabitants are from such troubled countries as Somalia, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, and even Pakistan. Tensions between natives and immigrants due to high unemployment led to violence…

Fine Gael has refused to give assurances that Catholic marriage counselling would not have funding withdrawn if the referendum on same-sex marriage passes. Currently, Accord, a Church-run marriage preparation and counselling agency, receives funds from the State through the Family Support Agency and Health Service Executive. However, concerns have been raised in the organisation that…

Islamist terrorist violence such as Paris experienced in January is a daily reality in Cameroon, according to Maroua-Mokolo’s Bishop Bruno Ateba (pictured). “What happened in Paris during the attacks there is something we experience here every day, and yet nobody in the world says anything about it,” he told the Catholic agency Aid to the…

Thai Children’s Trust Ireland has sent a message of thanks to readers of The Irish Catholic for their generous response to its Lenten appeal to help feed orphaned and abandoned children on the Thai-Burma border. The Feed a Future campaign asked people to support its nutrition programme by giving a €40 donation, or €1 a…

The Hugh O’Flaherty Memorial Society is inviting nominations for the 2015 Hugh O’Flaherty International Humanitarian Award as part of the 8th annual memorial weekend in honour of the Monsignor, which will take place from Friday October 30 to Sunday November 1 in Killarney, Co. Kerry. Msgr O’Flaherty was dubbed the Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican…

A Co. Wicklow woman asked to co-ordinate the work of a Vatican abuse commission, has put her appointment down to the leading example shown by the Irish Church in improving safeguarding standards. Emer McCarthy-Cabrera, who worked at the Vatican Radio English section for 13 years and was tasked with translating Pope Francis’ first words into…

Staff Reporter Irish American philanthropist and billionaire Chuck Feeney is a key funder for the ‘yes’ campaign on same-sex marriage, it has been revealed. Feeney’s Atlantic Philanthropies have committed $475,000 (€443,612) to Marriage Equality Ltd, the main group dealing specifically with the issue, according to reports. In addition to funding Marriage Equality, Atlantic has funded…

Archbishop Eamon Martin and Sr Geraldine McCarthy of Action to Prevent Trafficking (APT) join Fr Gerry Campbell to launch his four-day diocesan run from April 26-29  in aid of APT through the length of the Archdiocese of Armagh starting at the Bann at Newbridge, Co. Derry and finishing at the Boyne at Drogheda, Co. Louth.…