Germany and Spain have both elected new chairmen to head their respective bishops’ conference in the past week. Bishop Georg Batzing of Limburg succeeds Cardinal Reinhard Marx in Germany as conference chairman, while Spanish bishops have put their trust in Cardinal Juan José Omella of Barcelona to lead them. Baetzing, 58, is an advocate of…
The Christian homeless charity DePaul helped over 300 people exit direct provision centres in 2019. Through their Cosán Nua or ‘New Path’ service they helped 300 struggling households, moved 132 households into independent living and aided 328 people exiting Direct Provision centres, including 168 adults and 160 children. Sibusiso Lowrene, a single mother with two young…
A Bishop in South Africa has claimed the worship of God is weak today because it has to compete with the modern consumer culture of “buying and selling”. Bishop Sithembele Sipuka of Mthatha said consumption leaves us “empty” and that the coverage of sport has “dethroned God” during a speech in Eastern Cape last week.…
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin – who is due to tender his resignation next month – has recalled a senior cleric from Rome and appointed him as Vicar with responsibility for priests. The appointment of Msgr Ciaran O’Carroll, who is currently rector of the Pontifical Irish College, is being seen as some as Dr Martin wanting to…
Limerick GAA County Board described the late Frank Hogan as a strong believer of Faith and spreading the Gospel following his death this week. The born-again Christian, who preached the Gospel at GAA matches for over three decades, died at the age of 81 on March 7 – a date which ironically reads his famous…
Iona Institute has called for more childcare services to be provided for parents who wish to work part-time. This comes after an international survey has shown that 61% of women would prefer to work part-time if given the chance. “For people who are balancing home duties with part time work often, it’s the lower paid…
Access to the Sunday Mass at Rome’s Pontifical Irish College has been confined to members of the college community as concerns around coronavirus restrict life in the eternal city. Students in the college were given the options to stay on or return to Ireland and The Irish Catholic understands that the majority have opted to stay.…
Three owners of a British Catholic newspaper are in a disagreement with the Church over claims the paper owes about £280,000 (€320,000) in unpaid rent and restoration fees, according to reports. The Catholic Herald has been based at the back of a church based in London. According to the Financial Times its lease with St…
A prominent Pakistani Christian political leader has written a letter to Punjab authorities seeking permission to construct a church and baptism pool for minority inmates in Lahore central prison. In his letter, Massiha Millat Party chairman Aslam Pervaiz Sahotra asked the minority affairs minister to give his attention to the number of non-Muslim prisoners at…
The chaplain of University College Dublin (UCD) has said action needs to be taken as the Students Union (SU) protest a rent hike in campus accommodation. Fr Leon Ó Giolláin SJ said on the cost of accommodation for students: “I’ve met that myself directly, just students not being able to find accommodation close enough to…
Chai Brady