Dialogue and respectful understanding are the prerequisites for social harmony and world peace, Hong Kong Cardinal John Tong Hon told a symposium on Christianity and China. “If we see only our own reasons and insist on our own experience as the norm, thereby denying the basis of other people’s experience, then disagreement, quarrels and even…
Letter from Rome In Catholic circles high and low, a widely reported potential deal between the Vatican and China over the appointment of bishops is stirring varied reactions. While some hail the accord as a critically important way for the Church to deepen ties with a global superpower, others see it as capitulation in…
Bishop Francis Duffy of Ardagh and Clonmacnois has defended the Eighth Amendment as a “life-affirming constitutional provision” and has argued that the issue merits discussion from the perspective of Church teaching. In the pastoral letter released on March 23, the bishop said that human life begins at conception and that nobody has the right to…
Knights of Malta suspend ‘Dictator Pope’ author The author of a highly critical book about Pope Francis, entitled The Dictator Pope, has been suspended by the Knights of Malta. In a statement the order said it disassociated itself from the book and condemned the “vile attack against the Pope”. The order said author Henry Sire has been suspended pending the results of…
Elise Harris, Catholic News Agency Pope Francis said today that the Easter Triduum is the most important time of year for Christians and stressed that those who truly allow themselves to be transformed by Jesus’ resurrection, while still being sinners, cannot be corrupt. “A Christian, if he truly allows himself to be washed by Christ,…
Bishop Denis Nulty has paid tribute to the tireless work of priests – many of them elderly – in parishes across the country. Speaking at the annual Kildare and Leighlin Chrism Mass on Monday of Holy Week, Dr Nulty referred to the fact that it is an occasion for priests to renew the commitment of…
The Society of St Vincent de Paul has welcomed moves by the Central Bank to strengthen measures to protect customers of licenced moneylenders. The proposed measures announced by the Central Bank, if properly enforced, should provide much needed protection to the 340,000 licenced moneylender customers in Ireland, according to the SVP. The society was responding to…
BREAKING NEWS Pope Francis has confirmed that he is to visit Ireland this August. Speaking at his general audience today, the Pope stated that he will visit Ireland for the World Meeting of Families, being held in Dublin over August 21-26, culminating in a ‘Festival of Families’ and a closing Mass to be held in…
The death has occurred of Mrs Catherine Martin, mother of the Primate of All-Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin. She was in her 90s when she died in Derry on Wednesday. Mrs Martin’s remains are reposing at 28 Balmoral Avenue, Derry and her funeral Mass will take place on Friday March 23, at 10am in St Patrick’s…
Narratives of religious decline in Ireland are overstated, a leading Church number-cruncher has said, as new figures confirm that Ireland’s young adults practice their Faith in surprisingly large numbers. Indeed, Irish young adults remain among the most religious young adults in Europe, with around 24% of young people attending Mass weekly, according to the latest…
John L. Allen Jr.
Greg Daly
Colm Fitzpatrick