Category: News

New Clogher Bishop-elect wins warm local welcome

There has been a broad welcome in the Diocese of Clogher for Pope Francis’ decision to appoint a local priest, Msgr Larry Duffy, as bishop of the border diocese. His predecessor, Bishop Emeritus Liam MacDaid, hailed the unusual decision – new bishops in Ireland have tended of late to be external rather than internal appointments…

Prelate prays for France after violent riots

Paris Archbishop Michel Aupetit prayed for the country on December 7, even as the French government dropped all fuel tax increases for 2019. The government move came after French cities were hit with weeks of violent protests, as French people demanded lower fuel taxes and better purchasing power. Images of rampage at the Arc de…

Concern over status of India’s Catholic tribes

Catholic tribal leaders in India are worried over a move by Jharkhand’s government to take away tribal status from people who have left their traditional Sarna religion to join other faiths. The eastern state’s move will deprive thousands of tribal people of social benefits meant for their advancement. “It is a deliberate attempt to divide tribal people…

WMOF watered down Faith – priest

A Co. Down-based priest and writer has criticised this summer’s World Meeting of Families (WMOF) for watering down the Christian vision of the family to become more acceptable to current secular understandings of family life. Writing in The Furrow, Fr Andrew McMahon observes that although there were “unquestionably edifying aspects” of WMOF2018, a desire for…

Pope revamps Vatican State structures

Pope Francis approved a new set of laws concerning the structure and governance of Vatican City State in an effort to simplify the many offices and activities of the world’s smallest nation and to boost oversight, transparency and budgetary controls. The measures were issued ‘motu proprio’, on the Pope’s own accord. The Pope said the…

Campaigner warns against omitting Archbishop from summit

Leading child protection campaigner Marie Collins has said it would be “shortsighted” of the Vatican not to invite Dublin’s Archbishop Diarmuid Martin to a global safeguarding bishops’ summit to be hosted in Rome in February. Fr Hans Zollner SJ, who Pope Francis has asked to coordinate the gathering, has said that while the summit’s planning…