The latest effort to answer Pope Francis’ call for the Church to “seek people out”, has been hailed a success following a huge crowd at the Diocese of Kildare & Leighlin’s ‘Picnic in Punchestown’. In what is believed to be the first Irish diocesan picnic, over 4,000 people attended Punchestown racecourse on Sunday, including a…

UTV presenter Paul Clark has taken to social media to reject claims that children with Down Syndrome lead unhappy lives. The remark comes after a Twitter user said: “It’s unfathomable how anyone would want to put a soul through life suffering with Down’s. Religious driven madness.” The television presenter, who has a deep Christian faith…

The African Chaplaincy in Dublin, which provides support for African communities in Ireland, will be celebrating their 10-year anniversary this weekend. The Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin will be the chief celebrant at a Mass where he will be joined by over five hundred members of the African congregation and several other members of…

Instances of anti-Semitism in Ireland are often linked to political beliefs relating to the Israel/Palestine conflict, according to the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland (JRCI). This has led to young people hiding their Judaism, and causes Jewish students not to engage in discussions about the conflict according to Maurice Cohen, chairperson of the JRCI. “I…

Ireland can expect to see more flooding on the devastating scale experienced in Donegal last week as a result of the effects of climate change, according to a well-known ecologist. Fr Sean McDonagh SSC told The Irish Catholic that while the flooding in Donegal, which has displaced 47 families following severe rainfall, can’t be said…

Trócaire has called upon Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to place human rights and solidarity at the centre of his foreign policy, following announcements that he will be doubling Ireland’s diplomatic presence by 2025. Mr Varadkar has said that he wants to outline “Ireland’s place in the world in the years ahead”. “As Ireland seeks election to…

The British government lobbied extensively while the Vatican was trying to find a successor to Cardinal Tomás Ó Fiaich, newly declassified state papers reveal. The authorities were keen that a new Primate would be less critical of British policy in the North. Files released by the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) reveal that…

Staff Reporter Churches in the North were privately offered £100,000 a year by a British government minister if they would work more closely together in the interests of community relations, a declassified file has revealed. A memo from Tony McCusker in the Central Community Relations Unit (CCRU) in January 1991 set out details of a…