Catholic bishops have appealed for prayers and aid for earthquake victims after two strong earthquakes hit the Philippines last month, causing some deaths and damage. “Please, again, let us show our spirit of charity and solidarity,” Archbishop Romulo Valles of Davao, who is president of the Catholic bishops’ conference of the Philippines, said. An earthquake…
Lebanon’s Maronite bishops, commending the unity of the Lebanese people amid a peaceful mass uprising demanding a new government, called for a “constructive spirit” following the resignation of the country’s prime minister. “The Lord is leading the ship of the homeland and we hope that this step will be the beginning of the solution,” Cardinal…
Primate of All-Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin has led tributes to his outgoing Church of Ireland counterpart Dr Richard Clarke. Dr Clarke announced at the Armagh Diocesan Synod at the weekend that he would step down as Anglican Primate of All-Ireland in February. Archbishop Clarke, aged 70, has drserved as a bishop in the Church of…
Cardinal Timothy Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York has responded to questions about the denial of Holy Communion to former Vice President Joe Biden in October. In an interview with Fox News, Cardinal Dolan said that he thought the incident was a good teaching moment about the Eucharist and the seriousness of denying Church…
Proposals regarding the framework governing abortion, now under a six week consultation in Northern Ireland have been dubbed by pro-life groups as “catastrophic”. The current consultation will allow the public to share their views until December 16 regarding how the new laws should operate. Pro-life groups are encouraging people to make their voice heard and…
The UCD U-turn on sending a representative to St John Henry Newman’s canonisation wasn’t based on the Government’s last minute decision to send someone, but to avoid an “insurrection” by past and present academics of the university according to an Irish magazine. With the “more senior, elder academics mobilising, the scene was set for academic…
A Franciscan brother who teaches mathematics and physics in rural Kenya has been named Person of the Year by the United Nations in Kenya. Bro. Peter Mokaya Tabichi, who teaches at Keriko Secondary School near Nakuru, was recognised for his work in promoting education for all young people. He received the award during United Nations…
God’s love for us is not ‘abstract’, but concrete – Pope Jesus’ love for each person is a concrete love, a love that is addressed to each person “with their first and last name”, Pope Francis has said. Celebrating Mass on October 31 in the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae where he lives, Pope…
To help mark this year’s Week of Witness (25 November-December 1) in support of persecuted Christians around the world, Aid to the Church in Need (Ireland) has released a short film which follows how a commission from Archbishop Eamon Martin for a devotional statue to St Oliver Plunkett, that would also lead people to see…
Judge blocks US bill banning majority of abortions A federal judge has blocked an Alabama law banning most abortions, which passed in May, from going into effect on the planned date of November 15. The ‘Human Life Protection Act’, which Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed into law on May 14, would have made attempting or…
Chai Brady