Signalling his belief that the Church faces a serious crisis, Pope Francis asked every Catholic in the world to pray for the protection of the Church from attacks by the devil, and also for the Church to to be stronger in combatting abuse. Pope Francis asked Catholics to pray the rosary each day in October,…
Catholics will continue to regard sex outside marriage as a sin despite India’s Supreme Court ruling that adultery will no longer be a crime, Church leaders say. The country’s top court has struck down a 158-year-old British-era law which said it was a crime, punishable with a five-year jail term, for a man to have…
The Government needs to “wake up” and commit to protecting Christians who are persecuted globally for their faith, an Irish charity has said. Church in Chains, an outreach group which focuses on raising awareness of the plight of persecuted Christians world-wide, said that our Government is failing to protect the rights of religious groups. Launching…
An Irish nun has said the number of patients who were treated without hospital beds last month is “unbelievable” and the Government should figure out a solution. Sr Pat Donovan, a member of the Catholic Healthcare Council of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference, speaking in a personal capacity said that it’s “unbelievable in this day…
Be open to the good, regardless of origin – Pope Pope Francis has advised people to be open to the good, regardless of whether it comes from someone outside their own “circle”. The Pope reflected, during his Angelus address in St Peter’s Square, September 30, on the day’s Gospel, in which Christ taught his disciples humility and to avoid scandal. When the disciples objected…
Tens of thousands of people are expected to pray the Rosary at hundreds of locations around Ireland this weekend. Organisers of the Rosary on the Coast hope between 30,000 and 50,000 people will participate in gatherings on Sunday, October 7, at over 300 locations throughout the country, mostly on the coast but also in churches,…
Pope Francis has expelled from the priesthood a Chilean who gained notoriety for sexually abusing young men in his parish. The Vatican announced that Fernando Karadima was dismissed from the clerical state by the Pope, who “made this exceptional decision in conscience and for the good of the Church”. Citing canon law, the Vatican said…
A disability-activist group are calling on legislators to ensure that abortion on disability grounds is “outlawed” in Ireland, by making an amendment to the current abortion bill. Disability Voices for Life, which represents more than 100 parents and people living with disabilities, have appealed to Simon Harris to amend the bill. Otherwise, they say “their…
Courtney Grogan Pope Francis began the Synod on young people today with a homily calling for the Holy Spirit to renew hope and dynamism in the Church. Hope can “broaden our horizons, expand our hearts and transform those frames of mind that today paralyse, separate and alienate us from young people,” said Pope Francis.…
Due to its impact on young Catholics in Africa, fundamentalism will be a topic that bishops from East Africa prioritize in their talks with other delegates during the synod’s intervention sessions. More than 300 delegates, cardinals, archbishops, bishops, priests, sisters and laypeople are expected to attend the Oct. 3-28 Synod of Bishops, which will meet…
Colm Fitzpatrick
Chai Brady