Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis’ “unprecedented” power to impose abortion “must be scrapped”, a pro-life organisation has said. Bernadette Smyth of Precious Life made her comments as a legal challenge to Mr Lewis’ powers was launched in the North’s high court this week by the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC). The case…
Cooley parish celebrated Madge Boyle’s 100th birthday by unveiling a park bench across the road from the house she was born in. Fr Malachy Conlon PP Cooley parish, Co. Louth, described Ms Boyle as “a precious light in our community”. Born September 12, 1921, Ms Boyle and her late husband Mike had nine children, 25…
Plans that would remove Newry Cathedral’s parking have annoyed parishioners, with a recent survey showing 72% oppose the move. Fr Francis Brown, the Co. Down cathedral’s administrator, warned that the plans to build a civic centre in the cathedral’s parking area would be “disastrous”. “It means there would be no parking next to the cathedral,…
Pro-life politicians have decried the launch of a bill that would introduce so-called ‘safe access zones’ outside hospitals and clinics providing abortion, arguing that it’s the attempted “criminalisation of peaceful pro-life speech and protest”. Speaking to The Irish Catholic newspaper, Laois-Offaly TD Carol Nolan said the bill is “nothing short of an ideological wrecking ball”.…
Redress scheme aims to reach as many victims and survivors as possible as Dromore looks at potential amalgamation, Chai Brady hears The future of Dromore diocese is far from certain as a pioneering redress scheme for survivors of clerical sexual abuse is set to decimate financial resources, which will mean the continuation of evangelisation and…
Euthanasia is “anathema” to the palliative care movement according to the chief executive of the Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF) Speaking before an IHF forum which ran from Tuesday to Wednesday this week, Sharon Foley said she could not see assisted suicide happening in Irish hospices. Speaking to The Irish Times, Ms Foley said: “The palliative…
Hotelier and TV personality Francis Brennan spoke recently about the importance of faith in his life and his disappointment about “an element” introduced into Irish society that doesn’t receive faith well. In an interview with the Irish Examiner, Mr Brennan spoke about how fear around a birth condition, which saw him born without an ankle…
A panel has said a public inquiry should be held into institutions for unmarried mothers in Northern Ireland. Appointed in late March 2021, the Truth Recovery Panel was scheduled to deliver its findings in six months following close collaboration with victims-survivors of Northern Ireland’s mother and baby homes, Magdalene Laundries and workhouses. The three experts,…
Further attacks on northern Nigeria’s Christian population continue to traumatise the region’s Christians, many of whom are becoming resigned to the fact that their safety is no longer guaranteed. The latest onslaught was compared to a ‘massacre’ against native people by a local Catholic priest, many of which are Christian. An estimated 49 people, including…
An independent commission set up to measure the extent of abuse committed by Church members has estimated that over 3,000 paedophiles, out of a total of 115,000 priests, were actively engaged in ministry with the Church between 1950 to the present day. The 2,500-page report, which was commissioned by the French Catholic Church in 2018,…
Ruadhán Jones
Chai Brady