Top award for Catholic medic in Africa A Catholic medical missionary in Africa has been honored with a top international medical award. Dr Tom Catena (55) from New York received the AMH Gerson L’Chaim Prize for ‘outstanding Christian medical missionary service’ last week. The American Surgeon, described as “the world’s most important doctor” on US…
Plea for Catholics to put homeless, health crisis and youth at centre of vote With just over a week to the general election, Bishop of Elphin Kevin Doran has urged Catholics to reflect deeply before voting and urged them to think of the less well-off before casting their ballot. He also fired a shot across…
NBA basketball legend Kobe Bryant reportedly attended Mass just hours before his death in a tragic accident on Sunday, January 26. Mr Bryant, a devout Catholic, was killed along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other passengers in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. He was on his way to the Mamba Sports Academy…
Pope Francis “has our backs” in the pro-life cause, Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, said to applause in his homily at the opening Mass of the National Vigil for Life. During an ad limina meeting with US bishops the week before, Archbishop Naumann [pictured] said Pope Francis had told them: “If we do not…
Any person with no fixed address will have found it difficult to register to vote for the upcoming election, even though people who are homeless – or are in prison – can technically vote. In order to vote from prison, which has been legal in Ireland since 2006, a prisoner must apply to be included…
Filipino Church leaders have urged parishioners to be extra cautious amidst a deadly outbreak of coronavirus, which has affected hundreds of people in China and spread to other countries as well. Bishop Oscar Florencio, who oversees the Bishops’ Commission on Health Care, encouraged residents to be vigilant and to quickly check into a hospital if…
Singing priest Fr Ray Kelly lived to ‘dance’ another day after surviving another elimination on RTÉ1’s Dancing With The Stars. Fr Kelly performed the paso double to the theme from The Magnificent Seven movie with professional dance partner Kylee Vincent on Sunday, January 26. Yet despite posting the lowest score for the third week running,…
Sex is reserved for married heterosexual couples, new pastoral guidance from the Church of England has affirmed. The new guidance also draws a clear distinction between marriage and civil partnerships, noting that sexual relations are not proper to the latter. The guidance, ‘Civil Partnerships – for same sex and opposite sex couples: A pastoral statement…
The new bishop of Achonry has said that the Church needs to prioritise ministry with young people. It was announced on Monday that Pope Francis has appointed Carlow-born Fr Paul Dempsey as the new Bishop of Achonry. Up to this point Fr Dempsey (48) has been Parish Priest of Newbridge in the Diocese of Kildare…
Representatives of the US bishops expressed sorrow after three US fire-fighters died in an air crash while fighting bushfires in Australia. “As the people of Australia continue to endure terrible fires, let us renew our prayer and generosity. Today, the suffering was brought even closer to home with the loss of three brave American crew…