Fr Damien Nejad and Raphoe’s Bishop Philip Boyce, OCD at the ordination of Fr Nejad in Letterkenny’s Cathedral of Ss Eunan and Columba on Sunday, December 11. Glasgow-born Fr Nejad’s mother comes from Annagry, where Fr Nejad celebrated his first Mass on the evening of December 11 in the Church of St Mary Star of…

“Supporting and sustaining a culture of life is in the interests of every generation and it defines us as a society,” the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference has said in its submission to the Citizens’ Assembly on the Eighth Amendment. In a lengthy document, entitled ‘Two Lives, One Love’ and  issued on December 9, the bishops…

Staff Reporter A leading psychiatrist has welcomed a new study which establishes an appreciable link between the time spent by a mother with her children and the children’s cognitive and social development. Reacting to news that researchers from the University of Essex and University College London have found that the greater a mother’s attention and…

Bishop Kevin Doran testing equipment at the opening and blessing of a new school extension and all-weather astro-turf facility at St Cuan’s College, Castleblakeney, Co. Galway on Friday, December 9. Photo: Gerry Stronge

Bishops’ disappointment at omissions in motion

Egypt’s Coptic community is living in fear of further attacks over the Christmas period after bombers targeted a packed Advent Mass at the community’s main cathedral in Cairo. While there had been no claim of responsibility for the December 11 attack on St Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral by the time The Irish Catholic went to…

Shannon’s Fr Tom Ryan PP hears the confession of a shopper in Shannon’s Skycourt Shopping Centre during this year’s ‘Mercy on the Mall’ event. Photo: John Cooke.

Turkish coup investigators to look at ‘Vatican link’ Members of the Turkish Commission of Inquiry into the failed July 15 coup attempt have stated their intention to include alleged links between the man accused of instigating the uprising and the Vatican in their investigations. Turkish media have reported comments by commission vice president Selcuk Ozdag…

An Irish model and actress has spoken of how her faith continues to be a source of strength to her after a brutal encounter with drugs. Jane Bradbury, a native of Athy, Co. Kildare, found success in modelling in New York before making the transition to acting. However, it was in her early days as…

The anticipated commencement of the Cause for Canonisation of America’s Archbishop Fulton Sheen has been dealt a blow by confirmation that the transfer of his remains to the Diocese of Peoria in Illinois is to be legally challenged by the Archdiocese of New York, their current location. On November 17, the Manhattan Supreme Court ruled…