In the aftermath of the Ryan Tubridy saga which engulfed RTÉ in a sea of negative publicity for much of last year I resisted the temptation to follow so many other citizens who stopped paying their licence fee. However, I’m beginning to reconsider for the simple reason that I’m fed up with the constant anti-Catholic…
The announcement last week that Amnesty International Ireland is planning to lay off the majority of its staff due to encountering a severe financial crisis is sad news for the individuals concerned. Amnesty International is a celebrated international organisation that built its reputation on being a defender of human rights, supporting and advocating for the…
Letter of the week A commitment to justice and human dignity Dear Editor, The recent report from the Vienna-based Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe (OIDAC Europe) highlights a deeply concerning rise in anti-Christian violence across the continent [The Irish Catholic – August 29, 2024]. This increase in hate crimes, particularly against…
Ireland is partitioned politically – but there are also cultural divisions north and south. And one of the significant national achievements of journalist and feminist campaigner, Nell McCafferty, who died recently, aged 80, was that she was equally recognised, and equally relatable, north and south. The Derrywoman’s reputation went across 32 counties. Many accolades have…
In many parts of the country there is a shortage of GPs. Therefore, it is not just the priesthood that is suffering from a shortage of vocations. Figures last week from the Irish Medical Council showed the scale of the problem. The worst hit county is Meath, which has only 54 doctors per 100,000 people.…
An air of mystery shrouds elements of the Archbishop of Dublin’s ambitious new ‘twin pillar’ strategy for the archdiocese which centres on St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral and St Andrew’s Westland Row – soon to be made a cathedral and minor basilica respectively. Archbishop Dermot Farrell pegged the two churches as being well placed to be developed…
There is a phrase that seems to send a ripple of fear through many Mass-goers these days. And it’s nothing to do with eternal punishment! Though Catholics of course should fear hell, it’s rarely mentioned. No, what appears to frighten the congregation these days is when a bishop or priest declares, after the consecration: “You…
The news that Isabel Vaughan-Spruce has received compensation in the form of a £13,000 payout and an apology from the UK police after she contested her arrests for silently praying in the vicinity of an abortion clinic as a breach of her human rights should be greeted with a degree of caution here in Ireland.…
Eduardo Campos Lima In its latest crackdown on religious groups, including the Catholic Church, the Nicaraguan government has shut down hundreds of nonprofits and declared that from now on religious bodies will have to declare income and pay taxes. Last week, the regime headed by President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo,…
Bishop Martin Hayes Each year, from September 1 to October 4, starting with World Day of Prayer for Creation the first day of September, the ecumenical family celebrates the ‘Season of Creation’. This is an annual opportunity to pause and reflect on how we care for the gift of creation. It is a special Church season…
Mary Kenny
David Quinn
Chai Brady
Martina Purdy