Amongst the many events to fall victim to storm Ophelia was the much-anticipated launch of Martin Luther: The Challenge Then and Now. The book, by Glenstal monk Fintan Lyons OSB, was due to be launched on Monday evening. It has now been re-scheduled for this coming Monday, October 23 at Newman’s University Church, St Stephen’s…
An Post’s new stamp commemorating the centenary of the apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima is based on a statue owned by Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh, and was designed by a permanent deacon of the Archdiocese. Rev. Martin Barlow, a husband and father of two who was ordained to the permanent diaconate in December…
A Nigerian bishop in Liverpool has said the Catholic Church in his country is beginning to lose its public influence because of the decline of religious Faith in the West. Bishop Matthew Kukah of Sokoto accused European and American politicians and diplomats of publicly “pandering” to Islam at the expense of Christianity. The result, he…
The president of the Sri Lanka Catholic Bishops’ Conference has called on local media not to attack Church leaders over their anti-abortion stance. Bishop Winston Fernando said that media freedom does not constitute a right to target religious leaders who condemned a government decision to allow abortion in a broader range of circumstances. “We can’t…
Catholic schools in the US are accepting students and enrolment inquiries from Puerto Rican families displaced to Florida after the devastating impact of Hurricane Maria. An informal survey conducted in early October by the Miami Archdiocesan Office of Catholic Schools indicated that some 50 students from Puerto Rico had already been placed in Catholic elementary…
Pope Francis has announced there will be a special assembly of the Synod of Bishops in October next year on the state of evangelisation in the Pan-Amazon region of South America, with special attention paid to indigenous people. The purpose of the assembly will be to “identify new paths for the evangelisation” of people in…
‘Light touch’ regulation causes concern A culture of light touch regulation leaves vital issues like Ireland’s protection of the unborn at the mercy of well-funded lobby groups, a member of the Dáil’s committee on the Eighth Amendment has warned. It comes as it was revealed that Amnesty International Ireland has pinpointed abortion as its…
Catholic charities have welcomed aspects of Budget 2018 but there were many “opportunities missed” with emphasise on housing and education. An increase of €5 to social welfare payments including the State pension, a Christmas bonus of 85%, a €20 increase for lone parents and the Jobseekers’ Transitional Scheme were said to be good steps, but…
An increase of €13m to Ireland’s overseas Official Development Assistance (ODA) has been welcomed by Irish charities but plans need to be made to reach UN goals. Catholic charity Trócaire, who help people in dire situations around the world, welcomed the announcement by the Finance Minister this week saying that it was a step towards…
Martin Luther’s original intent had been to renew and reform the Church, not to divide it, according to Limerick’s Bishop Brendan Leahy, calling for this to be remembered in today’s ecumenical efforts. Luther saw this as his reformation as based on a return to the original form of Christianity in the sense of the Gospel…
Greg Daly
Chai Brady