Rather famously, in 2009 the late atheist pundit Christopher Hitchens and actor Stephen Fry squared off against British MP Ann Widdecombe and then-Archbishop, now Cardinal, John Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria, in an Intelligence Squared debate in London over the proposition that “the Catholic Church is a force for good in the world”. By consensus, Hitchens…

Opus Dei Prelate Echevarria dies in Rome The Opus Dei community in Ireland is mourning the passing of the congregation’s prelate, Bishop Javier Echevarria, who died in Rome on December 12. According to Paul Harman, spokesperson for the prelature, “the Irish community takes a small measure of comfort from the fact that Bishop Echevarria passed…

Real dialogue is Venezuela’s last hope, writes Paul Keenan

Nearly 40% of people in the Republic plan to see Pope Francis when he visits Ireland in 2018, a new poll has found. Conducted by Ipsos/MRBI on behalf of The Irish Times newspaper, the poll is the first since the announcement that the Pontiff will travel to Ireland for the World Meeting of Families. Overall,…

A House of Lords report that has recommended that questions of freedom of movement across the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic has been welcomed by Derry’s Bishop Donal McKeown. “It’s certainly very encouraging for us here to discover that there are people in significant positions who are concerned about the effect that Brexit…

Archbishop Eamon Martin, Primate of All Ireland has paid tribute to Bishop Gerard Clifford (pictured), who died on December 12, aged 75. Recalling a “dear episcopal colleague” who was a “generous priest and bishop”, Archbishop Eamon said “Bishop Clifford was a holy and humble man who instinctively placed the concerns of others first, as befits…

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…

Depaul to open emergency night service The homeless charity Depaul has announced it is to open an emergency night service in Dublin this month. Located on Little Britain Street, the service will provide 67 beds nightly, from 6.30pm for those at risk of sleeping rough. Those accessing the centre will receive a light meal in…

The latest in a litany of ongoing attacks on the Coptic community in Egypt took place towards the end of last month in al Nagameesh, the evidence apparent in the ashes of what was the village’s community centre. Available to all for anything from celebrations to town meetings, the community centre was also regularly in…