The leader of the Church in Ireland has distanced himself from remarks made by controversial US Cardinal Raymond Burke about the recent marriage referendum. Cardinal Burke, who was the Vatican’s top legal adviser until he was demoted by Pope Francis last year, said the referendum result here was a “defiance of God”. “It’s just incredible.…
Category: News
Memorial month in Dublin for Matt Talbot
The Dublin church which hosts the mortal remains of Matt Talbot is holding a memorial month to mark the 90th anniversary of his death. First Communion in Our Lady of Lourdes Church on May 16 opened the festivities which included a football blitz, radio Mass and novena Masses. On Saturday, June 6 a Vigil Mass…
Synod to discuss pastoral care of gay people
Bishop Brendan Leahy of Limerick has said the synod in his diocese next year could be an opportunity to hear from gay people about the Church’s pastoral care for them. Noting that he would “take his lead from the consultation process” which is currently underway in the diocese, Bishop Leahy told The Irish Catholic the…
Criticisms of Cardinal Pell are denied by Vatican commission
Criticisms of Australian Cardinal George Pell by a member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors do not reflect the role or views of the commission, a Vatican spokesman has said. The commission “does not have the task of investigating and pronouncing judgment on individual cases,” according to Father Federico Lombardi, responding to…
Trócaire staff evacuated in South Sudan
Trócaire staff in South Sudan have been evacuated from an area in the north of the country as a result of heavy fighting in the region. Three staff members, who are all South Sudan nationals, have been forced to suspend vital humanitarian programmes in the Melut region and return to Juba, the country’s capital city.…
PLC urge the Govt to reject euthanasia
The Pro-Life Campaign (PLC) has urged the Government to reject draft legislation on assisted suicide being prepared by campaigner Tom Curran, whose late partner Marie Fleming lost a landmark right-to-die case in the Supreme Court in 2013. Cora Sherlock of the PLC told The Irish Catholic that “if our laws are telling people that they…
Irishman appointed Bishop of Nottingham
An Irish-born priest has been appointed as the new bishop of the English Diocese of Nottingham. Msgr Patrick McKinney (61) is the eldest son of Patrick and Bridget McKinney (deceased), originally from Ireland, and was brought up in Birmingham. His parents moved back to Ireland in the 1970s when he began his studies for the…
Apology for crucifix removal
Dublin City returning officer James Barry has apologised to Harold’s Cross priest Fr Gerry Kane after a Sheriff’s Office official removed a crucifix from the local pastoral centre. The official had removed the crucifix as he had been told it was offensive, but on being contacted by Fr Kane offered to restore it. Mr Barry…
Thurles procession to celebrate diversity
Staff Reporter A parish consultation process with 140 clubs and active groups in Thurles is due to bear fruit next week with a Corpus Christi procession celebrating diversity. Over the last year the ‘Thurles Parish People & Priests Group’ has met representatives of all the active groups in the Co. Tipperary town, to conduct a…
Vatican weighs up the economic benefit ahead of Pope’s encyclical
Greenbacks and the green economy: Ecology is good business writes Cindy Wooden