Freedom of conscience protections need to be strengthened, not further eroded, an Irish doctor has claimed, after a review into Ireland’s abortion law attacked conscientious objection. “Freedom of conscience is the defining civil rights issue of our day,” Dr Kirsten Fuller, a GP based in Tipperary, told the March for Life on May 1. Her…
Clare TD Michael McNamara has said that he sees how Ireland’s proposed hate speech laws “could be open to abuse”. The controversial new laws are currently making their way through the Dáil, and would make it an offence for a person to “prepare or possess” material on their computer that could incite hatred against a…
Pope Francis encouraged Derry Catholics to be peacemakers for the sake of the North’s present and future, as the diocese celebrates the 150th anniversary of St Eugene’s Cathedral. The Pope said its his hope that the diocesan family will be “ever radiant with the beatitudes”, in a message read out by Ireland’s new papal nuncio…
The Irish Government has said it remains “gravely concerned” regarding the situation of a bishop jailed by Nicaraguan authorities. In response to a parliamentary question from Carol Nolan TD, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin said the detention of Bishop Rolando José Álvarez Lagos of Matagalpa diocese was “unacceptable”. The dictatorship of President Daniel Ortega…
A mentality of seeking “either priests or laity” is a fatal logic for the life of the Church, Archbishop Dermot Farrell warned on Vocations Sunday, April 30. Reflecting that most reflection on the scarcity of vocations has been “either-or”, the archbishop of Dublin said Christ’s way is “both-and”. “We pray for servants of the Gospel…
Two school debating teams go head-to-head this week in the All-Ireland final of Concern Debates, after over 175 school teams participated this year. Students from Largy College, Monaghan and The High School, Dublin, will contest the final, chaired by RTÉ presenter and sustainability expert Fionnuala Moran. Largy college will oppose the motion, ‘For the Global…
Created to allow “even more children to see themselves in Barbie,” toy company Mattel has launched its first ever doll with Down’s Syndrome. The toy-giant is partnering with the US’s National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) to bring the doll to market. In consultation with the NDSS and medical professionals, Mattel incorporated a number of elements…
A Co. Tyrone community has been left “numb” by the crash which claimed the lives of three members of the same family, Fr Declan Boland said at the funeral for two siblings. Dan and Christine McKane and their aunt Julia McSorley were killed when the minibus they were travelling in was in a collision with…
During a Dáil debate, TD Paul Murphy requested an amendment to the controversial hate crime bill that would have weakened protection for religious discourse. The amendment, which Mr Murphy said would remove “as a defence for hate speech material that something is a reasonable and genuine contribution to religious discourse”, was turned down during the…
Fr Johan Verschueren, the superior of Fr Marko Rupnik, a Jesuit priest and artist accused of sexually abusing numerous nuns, explained that from an ecclesial point of view it is “illegal” for Fr Rupnik to be the owner of a company. On April 22, Fr Verschueren, the Jesuit superior in Rome, told ACI Prensa that…
Ruadhán Jones
Chai Brady