The De La Salle Mission Council in Ireland organised a schools’ presentation for eight primary and secondary schools recently. Schools from Macroom, Castlebar, Dundalk, Waterford and Dublin submitted a variety of projects on the theme: Who is St John Baptist de la Salle? Over a hundred students and teachers displayed and edited their projects in…
Category: News
News in Brief
New general secretary for CPSMA Seamus Mulconry has been appointed as the new general secretary for the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association (CPSMA). CPSMA chairman Martin Hanrahan welcomed the appointment saying Mr Mulconry’s experience as former director of Philanthropy Ireland “will greatly support boards of management and principals of Catholic primary schools as they seek to meet the many…
Europe’s dangerous course
The Church urges the continent to be true to its values, writes Paul Keenan “What has happened to you, the Europe of humanism, the champion of human rights, democracy and freedom? What has happened to you, Europe, the mother of peoples and nations, the mother of great men and women who upheld, and even sacrificed…
Papal visit could see ‘significant’ gesture – Archbishop Martin
Staff reporter Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has predicted that a 2018 papal visit could see a “significant” gesture of reconciliation from Pope Francis. Speaking at a press conference in Rome this week to launch the theme of the World Meeting of Families, Dr Martin said “I think that a visit to Northern Ireland, even a short visit,…
Cautious welcome for after-hours schools plan
A Dublin-based priest has welcomed proposals for greater use of school buildings, but cautioned that such usage would need proper funding. As part of a three-year strategy, Education Minister Richard Bruton has outlined plans for school buildings to be made available out of hours for afterschool care, homework clubs and other community activities. “I’m all…
Vatican workers: Worthy of their wages?
With a flourish he inherited from Argentina’s legendarily populist political force, Peronism, Pope Francis from the beginning has been a vocal champion of labour and workers’ rights, backing measures such as equal pay for equal jobs between men and women, affordable housing and land, and living wages. Just last week, during his daily morning Mass,…
Fundraising for World Meeting of Families to be rolled out at Masses
A major fundraising drive for World Meeting of Families in Dublin in 2018 is set to be rolled out at Masses across the country this weekend. The Irish Catholic understands that a target of €12 million has been set to support the hosting of the event, which will be held in Dublin from August 22-26,…
I’m not knocking Church, insists dropped Cork reader
The political activist dropped as reader from Cobh cathedral has criticised attempts to use his situation as grounds to attack the Church. Social Democrat Ken Curtin discovered on Sunday, May 15, that cathedral administrator Fr John McCarthy had removed him from the reading rota at St Colman’s Cathedral because of his party’s support for repealing…
Claim that surrogacy would be ‘final blow’ against Italian family
The legalisation of surrogacy would be “the final blow” against the family in Italian law, the head of Italy’s bishops’ conference has said, saying surrogacy “exploits the female body” and profits from the poverty of women. Addressing members of the bishops’ conference, Genoa’s Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco said under a new law civil unions are implicitly…
Catholic children may be turned away from faith schools
Staff reporter Children from Catholic families may be refused places in Catholic schools if a new admissions policy is adopted. A new group consisting of leading Catholic educationalists and barrister Patrick Treacy, is seeking a change to the admissions policy of Catholic schools to reflect the changed nature of Irish society. The Faith in Our Schools…