Two nursing homes owned by the Sisters of Charity were closed suddenly, taking staff, residents and the nuns themselves by surprise, sources say. The closure of Dublin nursing homes St Monica’s and St Mary’s and convalescent home Caritas was due to economic constraints. The sisters released a statement saying they “are very concerned about what…
Church bells and the Muslim call to prayer sounded on August 11 to mark a minute of silence for those who perished in the explosion devastating much of Beirut and its port a week earlier. The port, badly damaged by a deadly explosion of 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, resumed partial operations. But the same…
The “downright rude and uncooperative” behaviour of a small number of Massgoers in Carrick-on-Shannon has been criticised amid ongoing Covid-19 restrictions. A note in the parish bulletin reads that the overall response “of our parishioners has been very positive. It has also enabled us to join with different families from our parish in celebrating anniversary…
Cardinal Maurice Piat of Port-Louis, Mauritius, has praised public responses to an oil spill that devastated the island’s coastline, as one prominent lay Catholic demanded “honest information” about the disaster. “Numerous families are afflicted by a pestilential and persistent odor – fishermen and all those living from the sea are suffering particularly, while ecological treasures…
Church leaders in Bangladesh have launched a campaign to plant 400,000 trees across the country to mark the fifth anniversary of Pope Francis’ environmental encyclical Laudato Si’, the golden jubilee of the country’s independence and the birth centenary of the nation’s founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Bishops led by Cardinal Patrick D’Rozario of Dhaka Archdiocese inaugurated the…
Pope baptises conjoined twins separated by Vatican’s Bambino Gesu Hospital Two conjoined twins successfully separated in June by surgeons at the Vatican-owned Bambino Gesu Children’s Hospitalhave recently been baptised by Pope Francis. The Baptism of babies Ervina and Prefina at the Pope’s residence of Casa Santa Marta, was announced by Central African Republic politician, Antoinette Montaigne.…
After election in Belarus, Catholic leaders urge restraint, dialogue Catholic leaders have urged dialogue and restraint in Belarus amid violent street clashes following a contested presidential election on August 9. “The two sides clearly have to talk if this dangerous situation isn’t to deteriorate,” said Fr Yuri Sanko, spokesman for the Belarusian bishops’ conference. “Although…
Exclusive Everyday life is becoming increasingly difficult for Christians in Lebanon An Irishwoman who works in Beirut has warned that the people of Lebanon have lost hope amidst anti-government protests in the wake of a deadly explosion that killed hundreds of people and has been widely blamed on political corruption. Anna Sophia Gallagher [pictured], originally…
Outspoken priest and campaigner for the vulnerable Fr Peter McVerry SJ has urged the Government to declare the plight of the homeless as a national emergency insisting that Covid-19 “has aggravated the underlying issues.” This comes after a report revealed that 31 homeless people have died in Dublin this year, in contrast to 35 in…
Senators and TDs have queried whether the Government plans to replace swearing religious oaths with a ‘truth statement’, describing such plans as a “false concept of pluralism”. A new bill currently being discussed proposes the use of a ‘truth statement’ in place of a religious oath or similar secular profession. Senator Rónán Mullen asked the…
Ruadhán Jones
Chai Brady