DUP members of the Stormont Assembly have been accused of mocking a fellow party member for attending the civic reception for Pope Francis in Dublin Castle. A senior member of the party criticised Lagan Valley MLA Robbie Butler for attending the August 25 event, referring to the Pope as “the Antichrist”, while another MLA mockingly…
In his general audience today, Pope Francis said that engaged couples require “careful preparation” for the lifelong fidelity that marriage requires. “One cannot say marriage preparation is three or four conferences given in the parish. This is not preparation,” Pope Francis said in St. Peter’s Square today, in a departure from his prepared remarks. “The…
Irish missionaries who supported St Oscar Romero during his time as Archbishop of San Salvador have welcomed the martyred bishop’s canonisation, feeling their constant support for him has been vindicated. “The feeling among the people is of quiet pride and satisfaction,” Fr Ciaran Ó Nuanain told The Irish Catholic. “The minority of us who supported…
The UK’s highest court has ruled that a Northern Ireland bakery’s refusal to make a cake with a message supporting same-sex marriage was not discriminatory. The Supreme Court found on October 10 that the Christian owners of Ashers bakery did not discriminate against a customer and did not refuse to bake the cake because of…
Documents released by the State’s ethics watchdog have shown that a group that campaigned for reduced religious influence in Church-owned schools was a campaigning organisation that received funds far in excess of amounts permitted for such groups. A complaint submitted to the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) about Equate: Equality in Education, days ahead…
There should be a “wide and generous” acknowledgement of the freedom of conscience by the Government for healthcare professionals, a group of medical practitioners and lawyers have said. The comments come after an educational conference hosted by the Medico Legal Alliance on October 13, entitled The Legal Aspects of Clinical Decision Making, which brought together…
The Church needs to “take risks” on young people and use their “idealism and enthusiasm” to lead evangelisation in Ireland, according to the country’s two representatives at the Synod of Bishops. Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown, told The Irish Catholic that rather than being patronising, and asking “what can we do for young people?” Church…
Carrying Pope Paul VI’s pastoral staff and wearing the blood-stained belt of Archbishop Oscar Romero of San Salvador, Pope Francis formally recognised them, and five others, as saints of the Catholic Church. Thousands of pilgrims from the new saints’ home countries – Italy, El Salvador, Spain and Germany – were joined by tens of thousands…
Most Irish people believe Pope Francis did not do enough to address clerical abuse during his recent papal visit to Ireland, according to new research. Only 30% of people believe the Pope did enough on the issue during the visit, according to a survey of 840 people by Queen’s University in Belfast, which also found…
A congregation of over 2,000 people attended the 33rd Irish Kidney Association’s Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving at Corpus Christi Church, Homefarm Road, Dublin 9 on Saturday, October 6 to honour organ donors and their families. Present at the ecumenical service were families of deceased organ donors and living donors as well as transplant recipients…
Greg Daly
Colm Fitzpatrick
Chai Brady