Human rights activists in the North have welcomed a decision by the UK Supreme Court to dismiss an attempt to overturn the region’s laws on abortion. The challenge to the law was brought by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) but judges said it would have required the case to have been brought by…
There is huge disappointment across the Catholic community in the North as hopes fade about the prospect of a papal visit to the region, Derry’s Bishop Donal McKeown has said. With a visit by Pope Francis to Northern Ireland now looking almost impossible, Bishop McKeown has said Protestants and Catholics would have welcomed a visit.…
Over 500 pilgrims visited St Patrick’s Purgatory in Lough Derg for the opening weekend of the island shrine’s 2017 Three-Day Pilgrimage season last weekend. Speaking about the high turnout, communications officer at Lough Derg Sharon Hearty said: “The current demographic of the Three-Day Pilgrimage is better balanced than ever, between men and women, younger and…
The vast majority of Irish Christians are raising their children in the Faith, a new survey has found, with even non-practising Christians more inclined to have their children brought up in their religion than non-practising Christians elsewhere in Western Europe. Almost 25,000 adults across 15 countries were interviewed last year for ‘Being Christian in Western…
Catholics across Ireland are facing an identity crisis and have not been properly educated in their Faith, a prominent Irish priest has said. Tuam priest Fr Eamonn Conway said many Catholics today are “confused” and that we have to accept the fact that formation and catechesis has been “very poor” in many respects. The comments…
Despite not reaching the final of Britain’s Got Talent, Ireland’s singing priest says he’s got nothing put positive feedback regarding how he portrayed the Church and priesthood. Fr Ray Kelly received a hero’s welcome as he arrived back to his Church on Monday night as hundreds of people gathered to celebrate his accomplishment. Fr Kelly…
The Irish diplomat credited with enhancing relations between Ireland and the Vatican is to return to Dublin after completing her post in Rome, Emma Madigan – who was appointed Irish Ambassador to the Holy See in 2014 – is to be replaced by Derek Hannon who is expected to present his credentials to Pope Francis…
Left-wing TDs Clare Daly and Richard Boyd-Barrett have complained that voters were “intimidated” when voting in the May 25 abortion referendum by being confronted with religious imagery in Church-owned schools. Speaking in the Dáil last week, Ms Daly said there had been “strategic location of religious iconography” in order to, she had been told “influence…
Government plans to ban oversubscribed Catholic schools from favouring Catholic applicants over non-Catholic ones may be unconstitutional, and are likely to be challenged in the courts, a leading expert on the Constitution has warned. Explaining that Irish law allows justifiable and proportionate discrimination in certain circumstances, UCC’s Dr Seán Ó Conaill told The Irish Catholic,…
During a pilgrimage with the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh to the Somme in Belgium, Archbishop Eamon Martin pledged to reach out in friendship and “build trust and lasting peace on the island of Ireland”. During a series of tweets about the ecumenical pilgrimage which aimed to mark the centenary of the end of…
Greg Daly
Colm Fitzpatrick
Chai Brady