Donald Trump’s visit to Ireland will be an opportunity for the Government to challenge his views on immigration, and reflect on our own failings, Irish priests have said. Speaking in response to the announcement that the US President will be coming to the country in November, migrant’s rights activist Fr Alan Hilliard said there are…
A top Chilean cardinal who has been summoned by civil prosecutors to testify over allegations that he covered up clerical sexual abuse has told the priests of his archdiocese that the “crimes” of the Church have contributed to a “climate of tension” being lived in the country. According to local media, Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati of…
Meath’s new bishop is looking forward to leading a Church that goes to where people are, writes Greg Daly Meeting Pope Francis with Ireland’s bishops, just a week ahead of his own ordination as Bishop of Meath, was a touching experience, according to Bishop Tom Deenihan. “I think we were all touched by the…
Australia’s Catholic bishops and religious orders, responding to recommendations from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, accepted 98% of its suggestions, but said they could not accept recommendations that would violate the Seal of Confession. “We are committed to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable people while maintaining the seal. We…
What do you do during a desert time, when confidence in leadership has disappeared, trust in an institution of established record has collapsed, anger is on the ascendant, recriminations are flying about unmoored, chaos is a partner of the times? One might think I am talking about the ever-roiling political reality in the United States,…
More than 6,700 Catholic women religious are among those helping more than 1 million people taking shelter in relief camps after unprecedented floods ravaged Kerala state in southwest India. “This is the biggest rescue and relief operation the Catholic Church in Kerala has undertaken in its history,” said Fr George Vettikattil, who heads the Church’s…
A church in Cork was filled with applause and tears on Sunday after baby shoes were placed on the altar to commemorate the victims and survivors of clerical abuse. Canon David Herlihy said he proposed the commemoration ceremony that took place in St Mary’s Parish Church in Youghal after members of the Standing4Women movement had…
Reproduce St Joseph’s ‘ideal of service’ Pope tells Oblates Pope Francis told the Oblates of St Joseph that for decades he has relied on the intercession of St Joseph, and “never, ever has he told me ‘no’”. “We should draw courage from this,” the Pope said on August 31 as he met with members of the order’s general chapter. “For more than 40…
Radical change is needed in the Irish Church if it is to stay afloat, a Limerick-based priest has said. Speaking in the wake of a two-day conference in Thurles last week, entitled ‘The Future of the Irish Parish: Lessons from Abroad’, Fr Eamonn Fitzgibbon said that the Irish Church needs more pastoral lay leaders to…
Over 70% of people who took part in a social media poll conducted by The Irish Catholic believe Pope Francis gave fresh hope to the Church during his visit. Over 1,000 people responded to the question with the majority reacting positively to the 36-hour papal trip which took place from August 25-26, saying it was…
Colm Fitzpatrick
Greg Daly