Tribute was paid to Sr Ann Thomas on Liveline earlier this week, as Ger Smith told of her care for himself and his siblings in Ballymun after their mother was taken into care for Schizophrenia. Mr Smith related how himself and his siblings were left in a flat in Ballymun, with his brother being the…
Bishop Paul Dempsey called on Government to recognise the integral role churches play in their communities, saying their work is often overlooked. Heart of society Bishop Dempsey said the Church should be at the heart of society, not at the fringes and it should be “drawn on more from the political sphere”. “I think somehow…
Pope Francis created 13 new cardinals last Saturday, urging them to remain vigilant lest they lose sight of their goal of the cross and resurrection. “All of us love Jesus, all of us want to follow him, yet we must always be vigilant to remain on the road,” Pope Francis said at the consistory .…
The age of social media has given heftier weight to the old saying about how a lie can travel around the world before the truth has put its shoes on. Prime example Here in Ireland, we were given a prime example of this when it was reported that female students at a Catholic school in…
The US Supreme Court said that New York state restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic are a violation of the First Amendment’s protection of free religious exercise. After the ruling the Bishop of Brooklyn, whose diocese was a plaintiff in the suit, said that religious worship should be considered an essential during the coronavirus pandemic. “It…
Churches across Ireland were illuminated red last week to highlight the continuing persecution of Christians around the world. The initiative was inspired by the charity Aid to a Church in Need which supports Christians facing intimidation, torture and even death. St Patrick’s Church in Downpatrick, Co. Down along with the crucifixion scene outside, were lit…
Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín called restrictions on attendance to funerals “illogical and inhumane” after the Government confirmed only 25 may attend. As part of the decrease in restrictions, public worship is allowed with a max attendance of 50, while funerals remain limited to 25 people. TD Peadar Tóibín told The Irish Catholic that the restrictions…
On the same day that Pope Francis approved the beatification of 127 Catholics killed in Spain in hatred of the faith in the 20th Century, a hashtag calling for Catholic priests to be burned was trending on Twitter in Spain. Twitter permitted the hashtag #FuegoAlClero, meaning ‘Burn the Clergy’, to trend online in Spain November 24,…
The French bishops’ conference announced last Friday that it would submit another appeal to the Council of State, calling a proposed 30-person limit on public Masses during Advent “unacceptable.” In a statement issued November 27, the bishops said that they “have a duty to ensure the freedom of worship in our country” and therefore would…
A bishop has called for prayer for Argentine soccer star Diego Maradona who died last week after suffering a heart attack at the age of 60. Maradona is regarded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time, and was recognised by FIFA as one of two Players of the Century. After Maradona’s death,…
Ruadhán Jones
Chai Brady