Brandon Scott Accord, the Church’s marriage care service which provides marriage preparation courses for Catholic couples, has recently encountered a sizeable increase in engagement with its services during the pandemic, with over 50% more couples availing of its marriage preparation course in 2021 when compared to 2020. According to the latest figures released by Accord,…
French Catholic nun turns 118 Sister Andre Randon, a French nun, celebrated her 118th birthday on February 11. This milestone makes her the second-oldest living person in the world and the oldest living person in Europe, according to the Gerontology Research Group, which validates details of people believed to be 110 or older. In anticipation…
The Minster for Foreign Affairs’ visit to Iran was political “window dressing”, as substantive human rights issues such as the persecution of Christians were not discussed, TD Mattie McGrath has said. Deputy McGrath told The Irish Catholic that its “shameful” that the Government won’t address the issue, calling their actions political “window dressing”. “Christian values…
The Catholic bishops of Quebec, while registering their opposition to the province’s imposition of Covid-19 vaccine passports as a requirement to attend religious services, said this week that they accept the requirement for now, and continue to petition the government to end it. “[I]t seems reasonable to us in the present circumstances to accept certain…
The Pro-Life Campaign has described Sinn Fein’s exclusion zone bill as a “smear” against the against the pro-life movement. It said that if the bill was enacted, it would set a “very dangerous precedent” for free speech, expression and assembly. The Safe Access to Termination to Pregnancy Services Bill 2021 is currently before the Seanad,…
Speaking anonymously during an online discussion, a Christian cleric in Hong Kong said he thinks it is likely that greater repression by the Chinese government of religious freedom in Hong Kong, particularly the freedom of religious schools, is about to occur. The cleric, identified only as Reverend L, told the Hudson Institute’s Nina Shea February 10 that…
The authors of a landmark abuse report responded this week to critics who argued that they overestimated the number of victims in the French Catholic Church. The Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Church (CIASE) issued a 53-page response on February 7 to a 15-page critique signed by eight members of the prestigious Académie catholique de France that was reportedly…
Staff reporter Gardaí are investigating an act of criminal damage after a Kenmare church was sprayed with a pentagram and black writing. Parishioners were “shocked and outraged” to see the graffiti on the Holy Cross church when they arrived for Sunday Mass, February 13, according to a local councillor. Patrick Connor-Scarteen – a local Fine…
Meath diocese celebrates ‘inspiring’ PJPII Award recipients Bishop Thomas Deenihan of Meath presented awards to students from the diocese who had completed the Pope John Paul II awards at bronze, silver, gold and papal cross level, hailing them as “inspiring”. The ceremony took place in St Patrick’s parish church, Trim, Co. Meath after the vigil Mass…
Pope Francis to visit Malta for apostolic visit in April Pope Francis will travel to the Mediterranean island nation of Malta for an apostolic visit in April. A Holy See Press Office communiqué said that “Accepting the invitation of the President of the Republic of Malta, the civil authorities and the Catholic Church of the…
Ruadhán Jones