Better faith formation and more investment in lay ministries is needed as a “top priority” in Dublin Diocese parishes have said. All 197 parishes around Ireland’s largest diocese have been meeting over the past month as part of the ‘Building Hope’ report, to discuss the rationalisation of resources and new parish partnerships. As part of…
Christian mechanic Ashfaq Masih has been sentenced to death for blasphemy in Pakistan after allegedly saying that Jesus Christ is the only true prophet. Reading out the 12-page judgment July 4, Khalid Wazir, additional session judge of the Lahore High Court, sentenced Mr Masih to death and fined him 100,000 rupees (€1,246). Mr Masih, 34,…
Senator Sharon Keogan has criticised an Oireachtas report that calls for Ireland to regulate international surrogacy, calling it “biased”. The Joint Committee on International Surrogacy recommended that an existing bill, the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022, be amended to include international surrogacy. The committee added that the commissioning parents should be allowed to apply…
The agenda for the Second Assembly of Australia’s Plenary Council was disrupted July 6 after more than 60 of the 277 members staged a protest over issues regarding women in the Church, including the defeat of a motion to formalise support for the ordination of women as deacons. A sense of crisis among plenary members, lay…
Liam Fitzpatrick Community members removed paramilitary UDA and Paratroop Regiment flags erected outside St Comgall’s chapel and school in Antrim, with some fearing a potential increase in sectarian tension around July 12. Sinn Féin MLA Declan Kearney, representative of South Antrim, called the situation “provocative, insensitive and a clear attempt at intimidation” in a statement…
The European Parliament has called on the Vatican “to give full support to Cardinal Zen” and told the Holy See it should “strengthen its diplomatic efforts and its leverage on the Chinese authorities”. In a resolution passed on July 7, the parliament condemned the arrest of the 90-year-old former bishop of Hong Kong by Chinese authorities and demanded that…
England’s former Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, has said he made the decision to quit Boris Johnson’s Conservative government after hearing a sermon on integrity. Mr Javid told the BBC’s Sunday Morning show that he heard the sermon at a prayer breakfast in parliament, which was delivered by Reverend Les Isaac. “It might sound a bit…
Journalist accused of inciting destruction of abbey in Spain The Vox political party in Spain has filed a complaint against a journalist who encouraged blowing up the basilica and abbey located on the grounds of the Valley of the Fallen memorial complex northwest of Madrid. The complex is the site of the largest cross in…
The diocesan appointments for priests in Down and Connor have been announced this week. The appointments will take effect from August 5. Fr Timothy Bartlett to be PP St Mary’s, Belfast. Fr Conor McGrath PP St Colmcille’s, Belfast and, in addition, Director of Vocations. Fr Eugene O’Neill to be PP St Patrick’s, Belfast. Fr Michael…
The Knights of St Columbanus and the Order of the Holy Sepulchre took part in the annual procession of the relics of St Oliver Plunkett which took place in Drogheda July 3. The procession, marched through the Co. Louth town from the Holy Family Church, Ballsgrove, to St Peter’s Church for Mass at 4pm. The…
Ruadhán Jones
Chai Brady