The Church in Ireland’s development agency Trócaire has called on the Government to uphold Ireland’s reputation as a leader in international development by increasing the amount committed in the forthcoming budget. The charity made the call as a global report warned that 142 million people will face severe food shortages in 2021. Trócaire is also…
A new bishop of Wuhan, China, was ordained September 8 under the terms of the Vatican-China agreement, a Vatican spokesman has confirmed. Bishop Francis Cui Qingqi, 57, is the sixth bishop to be consecrated in China since the Holy See signed a provisional agreement with the Chinese government in September 2018. According to Vatican spokesman…
Bishop John Shelby Spong, a best-selling author and Episcopal bishop known for his liberal theology has died. He was 90. He made headlines as the bishop of the Diocese of Newark, where he served for more than two decades when in 1989 he ordained the first openly gay minister. He was part of a movement…
A Catholic bishops’ commission said that it is a “pity” that the “key position” of EU religious freedom envoy is now vacant. The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) congratulated the outgoing envoy Christos Stylianides September 8 on his next role as head of Greece’s new climate crisis ministry. But the…
The president of the Spanish bishops’ conference has appealed for a former Catalan bishop to have his privacy respected, following media reports he moved in with an erotic fiction writer two weeks after resigning his see. “I share the pain of his family and the Church of Solsona, which has been touched by this, along…
Pope: You can’t be missionaries if you stop adoring the Lord Addressing Claretians, who are in Rome for their General Chapter, Pope Francis noted that the theme of their meeting – “Rooted and Bold” – “presupposes a life of prayer and contemplation that allows you to contemplate the mirror, which is Christ, so that you…
UK bishops criticise upcoming arms fair A major arms fair in London has drawn fire from Catholic bishops and justice and peace groups who say the trade in weaponry fuels conflict around the world. In a joint statement, they criticized the DSEI arms fair, which will bring together more than 1,600 companies that develop, manufacture…
Pope Francis is to receive President Michael D. Higgins in private audience at the Vatican next Friday, September 17. As part of his visit to the Vatican, Mr Higgins will also meet with Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin. A communique from Áras an Uachtaráin today (Friday) said that the president will discuss with Pope…
Jason Osborne and Ruadhán Jones The focus on lay leadership in the Church of Legion of Mary founder Frank Duff has been hailed as “prophetic” as celebrations get underway to mark the centenary of the organisation. The Irish Catholic can also reveal that final preparations are now underway to progress the cause for canonisation of…
The new bishop of Ferns has said he will be exploring a ‘parish administrator’ role for laity, which aims to alleviate some administrative burdens from clergy. Bishop Ger Nash, who was ordained on Sunday in the Cathedral of St Aidan, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, told The Irish Catholic that one of the reasons for creating the role…
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Chai Brady