Two Laois students have raised €1,800 in a virtual ‘Walk to Lourdes’ challenge for a homelessness charity. Sadhbh Dunne and Cara Phelan encouraged their community to collectively walk 1,965km – the distance from their Portlaoise school and Lourdes, France – as part of their St John Paul II award. So far they have raised €1,790…
Global hunger has reached an alarming level and could grow worse as the Covid-19 pandemic stretches on, said Catholic Relief Services last week. The organisation issued a new analysis identifying food crises in 14 countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Somalia, Yemen, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe. “In addition to the tremendous health and economic…
The Catholic bishops hit out at Taoiseach Micheál Martin for not responding to a request to permit Mass for Easter almost four weeks after a meeting to discuss the vital issue. In their strongest intervention on public worship, the Church leaders insisted last week that ongoing restrictions banning people attending Mass would be “unjust” as…
A religious sister in northern Burma knelt before police last Monday, begging them not to use violent force against protestors. In a video, Sr Ann Rose Nu Tawng, a member of the Sisters of St Francis Xavier, can be seen speaking March 8 to two kneeling police officers in the city of Myitkyina, the capital…
A religious sister and registered nurse who served those sick with Covid-19 in Italy has been honoured by the US State Department with the “Women of Courage” Award. Sr Alicia Vacas Moro is a Comboni Missionary Sister originally from Spain who has served the poor and the sick as a nurse in Egypt, the West…
Vatican diplomat criticises ‘divisive’ UN report on Islamophobia A Vatican diplomat has expressed dismay at “the narrow scope” of a United Nations Human Rights Council report into the persecution of people of faith. Addressing the 46th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, March 4, Archbishop Ivan Jurkovič, Permanent Observer to the UN…
Kenyan bishops urge uptake of Covid-19 vaccines Days after a Catholic doctors’ association urged Kenyans to shun Covid-19 vaccines, the country’s bishops have told the citizens to accept the inoculations. The bishops said it was licit and ethically acceptable to receive all the vaccines the government recognised as clinically genuine, safe and effective. They also…
The northern bishops have announced what they describe as “a cautious return to public worship” from March 26, in time for the celebration of Holy Week and Easter. However, they warned that people who feel vulnerable should consider carefully if now is the time for them to return or if they should continue to join…
The Archbishop of Dublin has called on the Government to assure people of faith that the right to worship will be prioritised in easing Covid-19 restrictions. Archbishop Dermot Farrell also said that the number of people permitted to attend Mass when restrictions are eased should not be “randomly determined”. He described current restrictions on funerals…
The Primate of All Ireland said that St Patrick’s day under lockdown is a chance to “rescue the real St Patrick from the legends and distractions surrounding him”
Ruadhán Jones
Michael Kelly