The introduction of “no-fault” divorces in the United Kingdom will undermine marriages from the outset, the Catholic bishops of England and Wales have said. In the first major overhaul of U.K. divorce law for 50 years, the British government announced on April 9 that it would allow couples to split up simply by filing a…
BREAKING Ireland’s longest-serving diocesan bishop has welcomed the appointment of his successor as “a new beginning” for the Diocese of Cork and Ross. Dublin archdiocesan chancellor Fr Fintan Gavin was this morning announced as Bishop-elect of Cork and Ross, with the diocese’s bishop emeritus, Bishop John Buckley, declaring that “It is a great honour for…
An Irish homelessness charity has welcomed an initiative that offers homeless people a fixed postal address at their local post office. An Post says it is Europe’s first free personal address and mail collection service for people living in temporary accommodation or are homeless. Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) Homeless Service Coordinator, Fiona McDonnell said: “We…
Christians must be courageous when praying to God and not simply repeat prayers “like a parrot”, Pope Francis has said. “In common parlance, people use an expression that I really like when they have a goal: ‘I put it all on the line’. In intercessory prayers, this also applies: ‘I put it all on the…
Pope Francis has named Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Atlanta as the new archbishop of Washington. The appointment was announced today in Washington by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the Vatican nuncio to the United States. Archbishop Gregory, 71, a former president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops who helped navigate the conference through the clergy sexual…
Perry West New legislation in Alabama would ban all abortions in the state, except in cases where the mother faces a “serious health risk”. The bill, introduced in both the Alabama House and Senate on April 2, would make it a felony for doctors to perform or attempt an abortion. Women would not be…
Priests warn of ‘horrendous’ problems from EU clock change An EU plan that would see a different time-zone on either side of the border would leave parishioners not only divided by the border, but also by different clocks. Local priests have warned of “horrendous” confusion for parishioners with one saying “God help us” if…
The Church runs the risk of becoming a museum unless it can learn to reach out more to young people, Pope Francis warned this week. The Pontiff insisted that young people will not find the Church credible if it seems to be constantly on the defensive and focused on a small number of issues. Francis…
The Irish head of Britain’s leading Catholic college is to step down from his role next year to take up a new post in Australia. Prof. Francis Campbell, Vice-Chancellor of St Mary’s University, Twickenham, will step down from the role in the first quarter of 2020 to become Vice-Chancellor at the University of Notre Dame…
To fight clerical sexual abuse, the Catholic Church must have clear laws and procedures, but it also must engage in “spiritual combat”, because it is obvious the devil is at work, Pope Francis said. Speaking to reporters on March 31 on his way back to Rome from Morocco, the Pope said stopping abuse requires a…
Greg Daly
Chai Brady
Colm Fitzpatrick