Sayed Wardak, 32, spent five years as a translator for the US Army in Afghanistan. In 2016, after nearly a year of hiding from the Taliban and in fear for his life, Mr Wardak and his wife, Sairah, immigrated to the United States. Knowing first-hand the perils of life in Afghanistan, and the challenges of…
Debates around keeping schools open during Covid should focus on “the activity of education”, said a diocesan Catholic schools’ representative. Given the difficulty in teacher supply, “the structured plan to actually deliver education” must be considered, said Alan Hynes of St Senan’s Education Office, which assists schools in the Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly and…
Kansas State University footballer Landry Weber recently turned heads when he announced that he’ll be going “pro” in a different direction: he’s planning on entering the seminary and being ordained a priest following his college days. “‘He’ll be entering the priesthood when his college career is finished’ said announcer Tom Hart on Kansas State wide…
The Missionaries of Charity congregation has been forced to shut Nirmala Shishu Bhawan, a home for orphaned, destitute and abandoned children in Uttar Pradesh state, after its lease expired. The Defence Estates Office demanded $250,000 from the nuns for trespassing. The closure came on the heels of the federal government’s refusal to renew the congregation’s…
Staff reporter This year began with the full recognition of the Irish language by the European Union for the first time in Ireland’s history as a member state. As an official language of the EU, all documents published by the union will be translated into Irish. Welcoming the decision, parish priest of Arklow and keen…
The controversial law on the minimum pricing of alcohol has been welcomed by homelessness charity founder Fr Peter McVerry who said it is “very positive” but admitted there were downsides to the legislation. Minimum unit pricing of alcohol, enacted on January 4, aims to stop the sale of strong alcohol at low prices, which has…
Staff reporter A Catholic nurse suffered harassment and discrimination because she refused to remove a small gold cross necklace at work, an employment tribunal ruled. Mary Onuoha, 61, was subjected to “offensive and intimidating” treatment by the National Health Service, her employer, and was unfairly dismissed from her job at the Croydon University Hospital in…
A ransom was paid for the missionaries held hostage in Haiti, said the husband and father of six of the now-released hostages. “There had been a ransom agreement reached with the hostage takers,” said Ray Noecker, whose wife and five children were among the 17 people kidnapped by a Haitian gang on October 16. Mr…
Fr John Joe Duffy said the “living Church” was very active in the parish of Creeslough after their church suffered a possible €250,000 worth of storm damage. Fr Duffy was “shocked” when the sacristan of St Michael’s Church, Creeslough contacted him to say the church was “a terrible mess” after gale-storm winds overnight had damaged…
Pope sends Christmas greetings to Oriental Churches With Eastern rite Catholics and Orthodox Faithful celebrating Christmas on January 7, Pope Francis sent his best wishes for “peace and every joy”. Greeting the Faithful after the prayer of the Angelus last Thursday, Pope Francis sent his greetings to Orthodox Christians and Eastern rite Catholics who celebrated…
Ruadhán Jones
Chai Brady