Following demands for an apology and a threat he might “file an official complaint with the Holy Father,” the German Bishops’ Conference president met with a Vatican cardinal in Rome this week. Bishop Georg Bätzing sat down with Cardinal Kurt Koch October 4 to apparently clear the air over what the German Bishop Bätzing had…
Catholic leaders in Africa have called for the removal of the unpayable debts, saying that the burdens were sinking their countries further into poverty. They said the continent was struggling with an unprecedented confluence of crises and urged international leaders to prioritise actions that enable Africa’s recovery. The faith leaders wrote an open letter to…
The Pope’s climate leadership provides inspiration both on- and off-screen, writes Carol Glatz Highlighting the Church’s approach of coupling the power of prayer with active and committed care for the earth, the Vatican wrapped up the monthlong Season of Creation October 4 with the launch of new initiatives. The feast day of St Francis of…
Tourist detained after toppling busts at Vatican Museums tourist who toppled two ancient Roman busts in the Vatican Museums has been handed over to Italian police, the Vatican said. The vandalism occurred October 5 when the tourist, identified by several Italian media outlets as an American man, threw down two marble busts from their pedestals…
Catholic guides commissioner sworn in A new national commissioner for the Catholic Guides of Ireland (CGI) was commissioned in the North Cathedral, Cork, October 2. Bishop of Cork and Ross Fintan Gavin commissioned Julie Donnelly at an event attended by the Lord Mayor of Cork, Deirdre Forde, and representatives of Guiding and Scouting organisations from…
A prominent Irish theologian has warned that the legacy of Irish religious could be “betrayed” by the gifting of third-level Catholic institutions to the State. The Vatican must investigate several deals made by the Church in Ireland to hand over Catholic colleges in recent years, Prof. Eamonn Conway told The Irish Catholic. The founder and until…
The Police Service of Northern Ireland is not doing enough to recruit Catholic police officers with outreach to some communities being “non-existent”, the newly formed Catholic Police Guild has warned. Speaking to The Irish Catholic, leading members of the guild said they felt they have been “actively excluded” from recruitment drives. Chief Inspector Graham Dodds…
Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell has promised to “streamline” the administrative burdens on parishes, saying it is “critical” to promote outreach. Building Hope Many of the 76% of parishes who have so far participated in the diocese’s ‘Building Hope’ process warned that high administration responsibilities for priests do “not serve the pastoral life of the…
Struggling schools are turning to their local parish priest to help pay their energy bills, despite hikes in the capitation grant, said TD Michael Collins. Mr Collins criticised Minister for Education Norma Foley’s claim that there was “no reason” for schools to ask for voluntary contributions this year following the rise in capitation grants. “It…
With traditionally Protestant areas particularly affected by the rise in ‘no-religion’ in the 2021 Northern Ireland census, an anthropologist has suggested that it could be the “backlash” of a more liberalised population against Protestant conservative influence. Speaking to The Irish Catholic newspaper, Dr Hugh Turpin of the Oxford School of Anthropology & Museum Ethnography said…
Ruadhán Jones
Chai Brady