Parents shouldn’t be relying on loan-sharks to curb the “crazy” costs of Communion celebrations, a spokesperson for a well-known family support centre has said. Valerie O’Carroll, manager of Ballymun Child and Family Resource Centre in Dublin, said it’s “absolutely crazy” the amount of money being spent on Communion celebrations, noting that the Sacrament has transformed…
The Supreme Court is sending a death-row case back to the lower courts to determine if the inmate’s dementia, brought on by strokes he suffered while on death row, should prevent him from being executed. In the 5-3 ruling at the end of last month, the justices sided with Alabama prisoner Vernon Madison for now,…
An investigation into alleged serious sectarian activity in a Belfast hospital “harks back to the past” and “can’t be tolerated” a Fermanagh-based priest has said. This comes as a covert probe into sectarianism instigated by NHS bosses relating to events in Belfast City Hospital has come to light. It was launched after allegations of harassment…
Jews and Christians should join forces for peace, Pope says The fruitful friendship and dialogue between Jews and Christians must go beyond the world of experts and academia, Pope Francis said. “It would be wonderful, for example, if in the same city rabbis and parish priests could work, together with their respective communities, in service to those in need and by promoting paths of…
Raphoe’s Bishop Alan McGuckian has expressed sorrow on behalf of the diocese for the abuse of children by the late Eugene Greene. The onetime priest of the diocese, whose death in Cork last November was announced yesterday, pleaded guilty in 1999 to 40 counts of sexual assaults of children between 1965 and 1982. Sentenced to…
A leading homeless charity has opened its newest social housing development partly funded by people donating their Irish Water refunds to charity. The social housing opened yesterday (February 28) in Ravenswood, Fingal, Co. Dublin. The scheme is the charity’s first green-field development and consists of eight one-bedroom homes with a small community building. It’s designed…
Violent attacks including public lynchings against Christians in India are reportedly becoming increasingly common, with international NGOs and the country’s Catholic bishops raising their voices in protest against mob violence. “The common man of the country is feeling insecurity in his own country due to the increasing cases of mob lynching,” Archbishop Leo Cornelio of…
David Agren Bishops from Texas and Mexico called for solidarity with migrants as a Catholic response to the national emergency declared at the U.S.-Mexico border. They also questioned if the emergency — declared by U.S. President Donald Trump to free up funds for building a border wall — was as urgent as attending to…
Christians must not take advantage of God’s forgiveness — selfishly repeating sin after sin — because God’s wrath for those who refuse to change their ways is just as great as his mercy, Pope Francis has said in a morning homily. “Do not say, ‘God’s compassion is great, he will forgive my many sins’ and…
€8m a year spent helping grieving relatives Rising funeral costs are forcing some families to face the heartache of choosing to bury relatives long distances from their loved ones, The Irish Catholic can reveal. This newspaper has also obtained figures which show that more and more people are also being forced to rely on government handouts…
Colm Fitzpatrick
Chai Brady