Abortion is never the answer to couples seeking a way to deal with a prenatal diagnosis of serious illness or disability, Pope Francis has said. Addressing participants at a Vatican meeting on medical care for “extremely fragile” babies and on the pastoral care of their parents, Pope Francis said the Catholic Church’s total opposition to…
Abortion pill legal challenge defeated again A pro-life group in Scotland has, for a second time, lost a legal challenge against the government’s decision last year to allow women to self-administer abortion pills at home. “We are greatly saddened by this decision. We have been convinced all along that the policy decision by the Chief…
A priest has said his parishioners will be “delighted” when the US president arrives in Ireland next month. The comments come after the White House confirmed Donald Trump is to visit Ireland on June 5, and is expected to stay at his golf resort in Clare during his stay. Fr Joe Haugh of Doonbeg parish…
Parishioners “must be heard” in any future Church-State talks particularly regarding the future of Catholic schools, two leading Irish theologians have said. The call comes after the Irish bishops confirmed they will be discussing the Taoiseach’s proposed “new covenant” between faith groups and secular society planned for July 4. Despite a commitment to divestment from…
Hundreds of people gathered in Derry this month in honour of St Thérèse of Lisieux and to celebrate faith and community. As part of the annual Little Way Novena in St Eugene’s Cathedral, almost 1,000 church-goers attended the Masses, which began with the Anointing of the Sick. The tradition of commemorating St Thérèse – also…
Religious and non-religious people share more than common stereotypes might suggest, according to a major study presented at the Vatican this week. “Our data directly counter common stereotypes about unbelievers,” Dr Jon Lanham of Queen’s University Belfast said of the Understanding Unbelief programme, which mapped the diversity of unbelief across Brazil, China, Denmark, Japan, the…
The Pro Life Campaign has marked the anniversary of abortion legislating being brought into Ireland with a nationwide billboard campaign, launched today. The billboards show an image of a mother and a baby with the words ‘Support pregnant women and new mothers. Let’s find a better way than abortion’. On May 25 it will have…
Bishop Edward Burns of Dallas questioned an affidavit and a dramatic raid by local police who descended on Church property in the Texas diocese wearing “ski masks and SWAT gear” in mid-May saying they were looking for documents related to abuse investigations. The Diocese of Dallas has fully cooperated with police and has been transparent…
Dr Leandro Rodríguez Lastra, an OB-GYN in Argentina, was found guilty on Monday of having prevented an abortion, after he decided to save the life of an unborn baby whose mother had taken an abortion pill. After three days of arguments in the Rio Negro Court in Argentina, Judge Álvaro Meynet found Rodríguez guilty of…
Anti-drugs campaigner warns of the imminent danger and says that hash ‘makes people paranoid’ “Cannabis is the most dangerous drug of all” and should not be legalised, according to Sr Consilio, the founder of Cuan Mhuire, which has treated thousands of substances abusers over the past 52 years. She has seen the effects of…
Colm Fitzpatrick
Chai Brady
Greg Daly
Susan Gately