Category: News

Global child protection bishops’ summit could be ‘good move’ – campaigner

Vatican plans for a safeguarding summit of heads of bishops’ conferences marks an important recognition that abuse is an issue for the whole Church, and not something restricted to specific countries, leading campaigner Marie Collins has said. Pope Francis announced the unprecedented gathering last week, calling the Church’s first ever global meeting of bishops on…

Diocese welcomes bomb memorial resolution

St Michael’s Diocesan Trust has welcomed the resolution of a disagreement about the siting of a memorial to the 1987 Enniskillen bombing. Twelve people were killed and 68 others were injured in the Rememberance Day bombing by the IRA in the Co. Fermanagh town. A memorial was unveiled at an event marking 30 years since…

Concern over Scientology ‘recruitment’ in Dublin

Community leaders in south-west Dublin have criticised a ‘family fun’ weekend organised for the coming week by a recently established branch of the Church of Scientology in the area. The ‘dinosaur giant family fun weekend’ takes place in the Church of Scientology’s community centre in Firhouse, and includes several entertainment features aimed at children. Local…

In Brief

Ireland
 must 
open 
eyes 
to 
child 
trafficking
 –
 charity
 Mercy Efforts for Child Protection Against Trafficking with The Hospitality Sector (MECPATHS) have launched a research report on child trafficking by a UCC graduate who has called for Ireland to tackle the problem “head on”. JP O’ Sullivan’s report explores the vulnerabilities Ireland’s international neighbours have experienced in relation to keeping children safe. With…

In Brief

Derry 
announces 
clerical 
changes A Derry-based priest who was previously cleared of an indecent assault charge in the criminal courts is to retire to restricted ministry after accepting the outcome of a Canon Law trial, the diocese has said. Bishop Donal McKeown announced this week that Fr Eugene Boland, who previously stepped aside in 2014, “has accepted the…

Vatican Roundup

Three
 Baltic
 countries 

prepare 
for 
papal 
visit Pope Francis will travel to the eastern periphery of Europe to honour a Faith that withstood a Nazi invasion and five decades of communist dictatorship and now is striving to help people live in freedom as authentic Disciples of Christ. The Pope’s visit from September 22-25 to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia comes in the…