Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, the woman twice arrested for silent prayer outside UK abortion clinics, has received a police apology and confirmation that she will not face charges for violating a local ‘buffer zone’ protection order. Though Ms Vaughan-Spruce said she would return to the clinic to pray, she warned that her treatment has implications for the…
The “destruction” of an enclave of 120,000 Armenian Christians in the Nagorno-Karabakh region is imminent, warns Siobhan Nash-Marshall, a US-based human rights advocate. “The impact of the recent attacks and subsequent disarmament will almost certainly result in the destruction of the people of Artsakh,” Ms Nash-Marshall told CNA. In 2011, Ms Nash-Marshall founded the Christians…
We all share blame for road accidents – bishop All road users must accept their “collective responsibility” for road traffic accidents, Bishop of Killaloe Fintan Monahan has said. His comments come in the wake of a spate of deaths and injuries resulting from collisions and accidents on Irish roads. After our immediate reaction to the…
Church leaders are hopeful that more and more parishioners will step up and preside at funerals to ease the burden on overworked priests, with two dioceses already commissioning laypeople to take charge where there is no priest. More than 70 new lay leaders in Clogher and Down and Connor dioceses are undertaking training to preside…
A priest who has played a prominent role in peace-building efforts in the North has criticised as a “major oversight” the use of the phrase “both communities” in the announcement of the EU’s ‘Peace Plus’ funding. Fr Martin Magill of St John’s on Falls Road said that the €1bn peace fund came as a “relief”…
The Dominican Order in Ireland continues to see vocations’ success as it recently welcomed two new novices and saw the first profession of three new brothers. The Dominicans currently have 17 brothers in varying stages of formation with another man due to be ordained October 1. Speaking to The Irish Catholic newspaper, the order’s vocations…
Chai Brady and Ruadhán Jones The Christian Brothers have settled over 90 claims for compensation from victims and survivors of abuse, the head of the order has said. Bro. David Gibson wouldn’t disclose the amount the congregation has paid out, and also defended the congregation’s controversial approach to responding to claims of abuse in a…
Brazilian soccer star Ronaldo, nicknamed ‘the Phenomenon’, has been baptised at the age of 46, the retired footballer announced on Instagram. “Today is a very special day. I was baptised,” the two-time world champion wrote on social media. “The Christian faith has always been a fundamental part of my life, since I was little, although…
An international Mass is Aghalurcher parish’s way of saying “welcome” to new parishioners from all over the world, according to parish priest Fr Jimmy McPhillips. The parish is conscious of the fact that despite having had members of the international community attending for some time, there’s a growing number to reach out to. “I’m five…
An independent investigator is to be appointed to investigate a complaints case in Mary Immaculate College (MIC), following the intervention of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), The Irish Catholic understands. The WRC led a conciliation process between the parties, who agreed on the appointment of an independent investigator, a source told this paper. It is…
Ruadhán Jones