‘Distinct’ role of faith must be respected in policy The distinct role faith plays in the North must be respected in policy bishops and experts have said as a new poll shows that 80% of people in the North identify as Christian – compared with just 46% in England and Wales and 74% in the…

The Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference has said the upcoming referenda relating to the definition of family is “likely to lead to a weakening of the incentive for young people to marry” and has urged people to oppose the two proposed amendments to the Constitution in the March 8 referenda. In their statement, the bishops said…

Catholic-founded charities helped pave the way to assist the most vulnerable who were being rejected by local authorities for housing, according to the National Director for the ‘Housing First’ initiative in Ireland. Rob Lowth told The Irish Catholic that Fr Peter McVerry, who founded the Peter McVerry Trust, saw from a “very early time” the…

Decisions “have to be made” on the future structure of parish life, Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan has said, as his diocese mulls alternating Mass venues, changing schedules and closing churches. In a letter to parishioners, the bishop of Waterford and Lismore warned that “we cannot avoid change” in parish identity, as there is a “lot more…

The Time to Reflect survey, commissioned by Irish Hospice Foundation to explore the impact of Covid on the experiences and perceptions of the Irish population in relation to dying, death, and bereavement during this time found that the Covid pandemic had a profound impact on people’s experience of death, dying and grieving. A total of 2,259…

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said the GAA must do more to help boost the number of Catholics joining the PSNI. The Fianna Fáil leader told The Irish News that the sports and cultural body needed to be more vocal in encouraging Catholics into the police service’s ranks. He was speaking after meeting the Catholic Police…

The director of award winning smash hit Barbie is planning for a “bigger and bolder” adaptation for Narnia series by Christian writer CS Lewis, Netflix have announced. Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of the Christian classic will be “rooted in faith”, according to Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos. “It won’t be counter to how the audience may have…

The Government has “forgotten” people with disabilities, the head of a Christian charity has warned, after a report laid bare the lack of progress on “substantive issues” for disability inclusion. People with disabilities continue to be treated as “secondary” in Ireland, according to the CEO of a charity dedicated to improving the lives of people…

A priest who has witnessed first-hand the devastation caused by road traffic collisions on the “dangerous” A5 road, has welcomed the Irish Government’s funding announcement. While reacting positively to Tuesday’s €600m funding promise for the A5, Fr Michael O’Dwyer PP of Errigal Ciaran parish in Co. Tyrone said, “it is long overdue”. “We have had…