Governmental advisers did not believe Pope Francis had been fully briefed on key hot-button issues ahead of his trip to Ireland, it has been revealed. Documents received by the Sunday Independent have shown that while crafting her brief message to the Pope about the Tuam Mother and Babies home, Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone was advised…
A Christian creation care organisation is setting up Northern Ireland’s first community-owned farm to promote the importance of environmental stewardship. Established last year, Jubilee is a cooperative enterprise to practice and promote care farming, community-supported agriculture as well as conservation education and engagement in a manner which inspires change within local churches and communities to…
Parish communities in Bray have offered their support for a young boy and mother who are facing imminent deportation to China. Parishioners in Co. Wicklow have said that nine-year-old Eric Zhi Ying Xue, who hit news headlines earlier this week, should not be deported to China. Although Eric was born in Ireland he is not…
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…
Greg Daly
Colm Fitzpatrick
Chai Brady