Married couples with children are more likely to be satisfied with their relationships and family life than their unmarried peers, according to a new international survey. The Global Family and Gender Survey looked at family trends in 11 countries including Ireland. It found while 18% of married couples have had ‘serious doubts’ in the past…
Warm tributes paid to Monaghan priest Clogher’s Bishop Larry Duffy has paid tribute to Fr Brendan McCague after it was announced last weekend the Carrickmacross priest is to retire from active ministry after almost 46 years of service in different parts of the diocese and in various roles. “Until my ordination as bishop I worked with Fr Brendan in Carrickmacross…
An Irish human rights charity has called on Pakistan’s new ambassador to Ireland to ensure that religiously persecuted Asia Bibi and her husband are granted permission to leave the country. Church in Chains, an Irish charity that encourages prayer and action in support of persecuted Christians worldwide, wrote to Mr Sardar Shuja Alam today requesting…
An Irish cardinal has praised Pope Francis’ recent announcement regarding the opening of the Vatican Secret Archives from the wartime pontificate of Pope Pius XII. “I am grateful to His Holiness for taking this welcome step and allowing scholars to examine the records of Pope Pius XII’s pontificate during the Second World War,” Cardinal Timothy…
Cardinal George Pell, 77, was sentenced to six years in prison today, just over two weeks after a Melbourne court allowed the publication of news that he had been found guilty of sexually abusing two boys. Cdl. Pell, who continues to maintain his innocence, will try to appeal the verdict. The court has set June…
A young man has been arrested for the ransacking and “desecration” of an historic church crypt in Dublin. The person is in his 20s and was arrested yesterday (March 7) over the break-in at St Michan’s Church of Ireland Church. The incident involved the theft of the head of an 800-year-old mummy known as ‘the…
The number of reported cases of violence against women in Indonesia shot up by nearly 14% last year, according to the National Commission on Violence against Women. In its annual report issued on March 6, two days before International Women’s Day, the commission said there were 406,178 reported cases of violence against women in 2018 compared…
Religious and lay people have expressed concern and outrage following an alleged letter from the HSE which bans priests from easily identifying Catholic patients in hospitals. According to Fr Michael Toomey of Clonmel’s Ss Peter’s and Pauls, priests and clergy will no longer be provided with a list of parishioners who are in-patients in South…
French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, archbishop of Lyon, was found guilty today of failing to report to authorities the alleged sexual abuse of a priest in his diocese. He was given a six-month suspended prison sentence. French tribunal president Brigitte Vernay declared Cdl. Barbarin guilty on March 7 “of non-denunciation of ill-treatment” of a minor. Cdl.…
A well-known Irish nun has received a renowned international award for her work in empowering young women in the one of the world’s most volatile countries. Wicklow-born Sr Orla Treacy, of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also known as the Loreto Sisters, has received the “International Women of Courage Award” for her outreach…
Colm Fitzpatrick
Chai Brady