Even as the fate of the baby Charlie Gard again hangs in the balance there is healthy discussion and disagreement about his tragic case among Catholics who might normally agree on other matters. Yet I want to suggest that, despite these differences, we share a common concern. But first, I struggle to grasp how some…
Nine-day charity walk from Dublin to Knock The charity Mary’s Meals is planning a nine-day fundraising walk from Dublin to Knock next month. They have issued a call for people to join in the walk for an hour, a day or even the whole journey. The walk begins on Bank Holiday Monday, August 7 at…
Refugee organisations have expressed concern for how the US travel ban will effect refugees in transit and those who are refused entry into the country. Donald Trump’s strict immigration laws have been watered down since they were first announced, but the US Supreme Court has implemented a partial ban which will come into effect today…
Pope Francis led thousands of pilgrims in prayer as clashes in Venezuela continue due to a government decision to change the country’s constitution. “I call for an end to the violence and that a peaceful and democratic solution may be found,” the Pope said during his Angelus address last Sunday. Almost 100 people have died…
A Catholic bishop in the southern Philippine city of Marawi dismissed as “ridiculous” proposals to negotiate for the release of a priest held captive by terrorist gunmen. Speaking at a conference in the northern province of Pangasinan, Bishop Edwin de la Pena of Marawi said “there is no way we can dialogue” with extremists, according…
Cardinal Timothy Dolan has voiced his support for Cardinal George Pell who is going to Australia to face child abuse charges. From New York, Cardinal Dolan is a long-time friend of the embattled Cardinal Pell, saying his cooperation with authorities “only shows the mettle of a great man”. “I feel terribly sad for my good…
The Pope has expressed his “closeness” with the parents of the terminally ill child Charlie Gard, whose parents have lost a legal battle to keep him on life-support. The 10-month-old was born in England with mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome, which causes progressive muscle weakness, brain damage and respiratory or liver failure. It is typically fatal.…
Holy See demands UN stunts growth of the arms trade The Holy See has criticised the UN for its inaction to end the “proliferation” of weapons of mass destruction. Following a UN resolution on the issue six months ago, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the Holy See’s Apostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer to the UN in New…
Given the way German Cardinal Gerhard Müller has become identified as the Vatican’s leading in-house sceptic about Pope Francis’ cautious opening to Communion for the divorced and civilly remarried in Amoris Laetitia, it was written in the stars that when and if Müller was ever replaced as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of…
Fr Jeffrey Kirby Last weekend and at the start of this week, the Catholic community swarmed the city of Orlando. The US Bishops’ Conference called together approximately 3,000 leaders from every sector of the Church’s life in order to listen and talk about the surprising topic of evangelisation. It might catch some folks off guard…
Austen Ivereigh
John L. Allen Jr.