UNICEF has warned that critical reintegration programmes for children released from armed forces and groups in Sudan may be forced to shut down in March due to lack of funding. Around 900 children are registered for release, but without new funding, UNICEF says they will not be able to provide support as they transition to…
Two priests in the Philippines have avoided jail time by posting bail after they were charged with trying to destabilise the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. Fr Albert Alejo and Fr Flavie Villanueva were indicted in connection with an online video linking President Duterte and his family to illegal activity. The Philippines Department of Justice last…
Fr Ray Kelly says he can “up his game” despite the on-going backlash from critics over his appearance and performance on RTÉ1’s Dancing With The Stars. The singing priest survived another elim-ination on February 16 by securing enough public votes to remain on the show. However, sections of the media and public have voiced their…
Sr Stan has said she was blown away by the positive response to the documentary on her life. To mark her 80th birthday, Being Stan: A Life in Focus, aired on RTÉ1 on Thursday, February 13. It celebrated her life and work for the homeless and marginalised. “I was taken aback by the response from…
Beware of slide into worldliness – Pope Pope Francis warned against letting our hearts wander unwittingly into “apostasy”, stressing that we lose loyalty to God when “relativising” and negotiating with money, vanity and pride. The Pontiff cited the story of King Solomon, who turns away from the Lord in his old age, in his homily at…
Father Ted’s co-creator says the show would have not have been as popular today due to changing attitudes and perspectives on comedy. Graham Linehan said his famous sitcom would have been different in this day and age. “The Catholic Church has taken a lot of beatings (over the years) and (now) it would be like…
Young people from 21 schools and 47 parishes thanked for ‘lifting hearts’ Archbishop of Salzburg Franz Lackner and Bishop Donal McKeown presented the Pope John Paul II Award to 549 young people from across the Diocese of Derry and beyond in the Millennium Forum, Derry City. The young people came from 21 second level…
Cross demolisher to oversee Hong Kong, Macau affairs The architect of the cross removal and Church destruction campaign in the China province of Zhejiang has been appointed Head of the Office of Hong Kong and Macau Affairs. Xia Baolong, 67, is an ally of Chinese leader Xi Jinping and in 2013 became the Communist Party’s…
Hundreds of young Catholics gather to celebrate Faith Ireland’s leading Catholic youth movement has urged parish communities bot to be afraid to reach out to young people and invite them to be more active in the Faith. Youth 2000 – which is celebrating 30 years in existence this year – has just played host to…
Prominent pro-life politicians who were very vocal during the abortion referendum have retained their seats while prominent pro-choice candidates lost theirs in an election which has changed the face of Irish politics. Many high-profile pro-choice politicians lost favour with voters including Katherine Zappone, Lisa Chambers, Regina Doherty, Joan Burton, Ruth Coppinger, Jan O’Sullivan, Catherine Noone,…
Chai Brady