The biggest barriers to effective Relationship and Sexual Education (RSE) are teacher confidence and competence, not ethos, the NCCA have said. Dr Patrick Sullivan said the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment found “school ethos is not in fact the barrier that it is often perceived to be”, following a review on the delivery of…
Staff reporter The new structure for the diocese of Cork and Ross, with priests appointed to ‘families of parishes’, have been announced. The diocese will have 16 families of parishes each ministered by a team of priests. In the first phase, which will take place September 10, 12 families of parishes will be established, Bishop…
A Nicaraguan human rights organisation released a video August 4 showing police in riot gear outside the diocesan offices of one the country’s bishops, preventing him from leaving to celebrate Mass at the cathedral. Because the incident took place on a Thursday and Catholics were likely expecting him to show up for exposition and adoration…
Focus missionaries are set to aid the Catholic Chaplaincy at Queen’s University Belfast in its outreach efforts in the coming academic year. Speaking to The Irish Catholic newspaper, Director of Campus Ministry Shannon Campbell said that Focus will help to develop the chaplaincy’s “outward vision”, which will stop it from becoming a “little holy huddle”.…
The Australian Parliament is considering legislation that would allow the country’s two territories to pass their own laws, paving the way for legalising euthanasia. On August 2, the House of Representatives passed the Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2022, which removes the risk of the federal government overriding the territories’ laws. The bill must still be…
Knock novena returns to traditional format The annual Knock national novena returns to its original format next week for the first time since 2019. The theme for this year is ‘A Journey in Hope’, with the novena running from Sunday August 14 to Monday August 22. More than 8,000 pilgrims are expected to attend each…
Pro-lifers will resist any attempts to use new ‘exclusion zones’ legislation to ban the largest pro-life event of the year, the Life Institute have said. Niamh Uí Bhriain told The Irish Catholic that such an interpretation of the legislation would be extreme and “malicious”. “That would have profoundly important implications for the right to protest…
Catholic bishops in Ethiopia warned that insecurity is shutting down churches and forcing more priests and nuns to flee, as consequences of the war in the northern province of Tigray are felt across the entire country. The bishops reiterated that the insecurity also had made it difficult for the Church to effectively carry out its…
Staff reporter Fr Patrick Devine SMA hopes to tackle violence against women in Nairobi, Kenya, through a new Empowerment Centre. The centre will offer women and children the tools and supports to be “significant architects of their security”, according to a press release from the Shalom Centre. The new Empowerment Centre, part of the Shalom…
Ortega regime in Nicaragua shuts Catholic radio stations Nicaraguan police broke into Divine Mercy parish the night of August 1 in the town of Sébaco in the Diocese of Matagalpa to shut down one of the five Catholic radio stations closed that day by the Daniel Ortega regime. On Facebook, the parish broadcast live the…
Ruadhán Jones