Senator says pubs should stay closed Good Friday despite rugby fixture
An Independent Senator has stated that pubs should stay closed on Good Friday and that we should respect the age old tradition.  Senator Ronan Mullen (pictured) made his comments in an ....

Bishop issues warning about ‘unapproved’ missionaries
The Bishop of Down and Connor, Dr Noel Treanor, has warned Catholics in his diocese not to support two priests who have been banned from collecting money or celebrating Mass in the diocese. The ....

Ursulines celebrate
Today at 11:10am, RTÉ One television is broadcasting Mass from the Ursuline Convent Chapel in Thurles, Co Tipperary, to celebrate the Sister’s 475th anniversary. The celebrant and homilist for the ....

Killarney priest criticises HSE decision to remove statue
A Killarney based priest has criticised a decision by the HSE to remove an iconic religious statue from a long-standing County Kerry hospital.  The health body said it had removed crucifixes ....

"Build on the progress that has been made" - Archbishop Alan Harper
The Most Revd Alan Harper, (pictured) Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland has called on everyone to play their part to ensure that the, “the peace we have begun to enjoy is truly ....

Liscannor parishioners meet bishop over using church as a funeral home
A delegation of parishioners representing the north Clare parish of Liscannor met with the Bishop of Galway, Michael Drennan this week in an effort to persuade the bishop to allow the local church ....

Give up alcohol appeal
Half of all Irish drinkers have a harmful pattern of drinking alcohol.  That is according to research revealed by the Pioneer Association which has called on people to think about their ....

New book on former Bishop of Ferns
A biography on one of the longest serving Bishops of Ferns of all time was launched at the Irish National Heritage Park in County Wexford this week.  The book, which is co-written by Fr Bill ....

Strabane parishioners set up Facebook page to popular parish priest
Parishioners in Strabane in County Tyrone have set up a Facebook page dedicated to their very popular parish priest.  Local users of the social network site Facebook have been signing up to ....

Social services accused over abuse case
Social workers of the Western Health Board have been criticised for their handling of a case in Roscommon in which a father has been found guilty of 47 counts rape and sexual assault when his son ....

English and Welsh bishops stress importance of virtue in tackling social problems
Increased virtue, rather than increased regulation, is the best way for British society to chart its way out of its current political crises, the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales have ....

New documentary shows the work of Irish missionaries
An incredible 20,000 Irish priests, nuns and brothers left Ireland and dedicated their lives to the missions in the four corners of the world over the past 100 years, according to a new religious ....

Meath priest elected to top Holy Ghost position
A County Meath born priest has been appointed to a top position in the Holy Ghost Order.  Fr Terry Smith CSSp from The Ward has been elected Superior of the Spiritan (Holy Ghost) ....

Virtual confession campaign
The Archdiocese of Boston has launched a special website to encourage more people to go to confession during Lent.  The site does the full A to Z of confession - starting with how to make an ....

WYD08 sparks vocations upsurge in Sydney
World Youth Day in Sydney two years ago is being hailed for spurring a renew interest in the priesthood and religious life in Australia. The Archdiocese of Sydney has said that in the wake of ....

Women in USA Church
Women in the church are being celebrated twice in as many weeks in the USA. In February the dignity and vocation of women came under the spotlight at the annual Edith Stein Project conference at ....

Chile earthquake
More than 800 people have perished in Chile’s earthquake and this figure continues to rise. The earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale, hit near the second largest city, Concepción.  ....

UK Government teen pregnancy strategy fails
A ten-year UK strategy costing millions of pounds to cut the “shameful” number of teenage pregnancies in Britain has failed to make any serious impact. Labour Ministers accept that they cannot ....

Catholics have right to faith schools, Cardinal says
All parents, whatever their denominational background, have the right to have their children educated in accordance with their religious convictions, the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland, ....

Iraq Christians in danger
Eight Christians have been killed in 10 days in Mosul (Iraq) and the leader of that Archdiocese said he fears the community is in such danger that it will disappear. This Sunday Pope Benedict XVI ....

Cancer survivor plans Reek climb to say thanks
A bowel cancer survivor is planning to undertake a climb of Croagh Patrick as a way to give thanks for being cured. Eugene McNamee from Ravensdale, Co Louth, will be joined by family and friends ....

Bishop of Kerry says he was embarrassed to kiss Pope's ring
The Bishop of Kerry has claimed that he was surprised as he stooped to kiss Pope Benedict’s ring during the visit of the Irish bishops to the Vatican.  Speaking to the Kerryman newspaper Dr ....

Limerick priest says killings must stop
A Limerick City based priest has told mourners at a recent funeral in the city that the needless killing in Limerick must stop.  Mourners at the funeral mass of murder victim Daniel Treacy ....

Priest says 15-minute masses to suit parishioners
A County Mayo priest has a novel approach to making sure that parishioners who are stuck for time are able to attend Mass by offering a 15-minute Mass.  Fr Kenny started his 15-minute Mass ....

Saint Mel to be honoured by the Longford-Dublin Association
In a move that has been welcomed by community and business leader alike in Longford this week the Longford Association in Dublin has nominated St Mel as the Longford person of the year. St Mel is ....

World will turn green to honour Saint Patrick
Ireland’s global St Patrick’s Day celebrations will take an enviable twist this year with some of the world’s most iconic buildings turning green.  Tourism bosses yesterday revealed New ....

More Catholics
The number of Catholics worldwide rose by 19 million from 2007 to 2008, according to the Vatican almanac recently presented to the Pope.  There are now 1.166 billion baptised Catholics in ....

NI politicians put forward plan to fight sectarianism
Northern Ireland's political leaders have agreed a new blueprint for fighting sectarianism.  The news came as plans for overseeing controversial parades are underway.  Both developments ....

Wexford SVP hall to re-open in April
A community hall in Wexford town, which is owned by the local Saint Vincent De Paul Society and which was vandalised and set on fire two years ago, will re-open in April.  According to this ....

"I would have mishandled abuse in 1980s too" - bishop
Bishop Christopher Jones of Elphin has admitted that if he had been a bishop thirty or forty years ago, he would have not known how to handle allegations of paedophilia on the part of clergy. Dr ....

UCD celebrates religions on campus
Chaplains and Catholic students at University College Dublin (UCD) celebrated International Week last Monday evening with people of the many religions on campus.   Christians, Muslims, ....

Tramore priest returns to duty after serious road accident
A newly ordained Tramore based priest who was very seriously injured in a road traffic accident in Clonmel in south Tipperary last year received a hero’s welcome when he said mass in his local ....

Lee Tells Novena We need to be more concerned about character than reputation
Amid a packed Saint Mary’s church in Borrisokane on Monday night February 22 last at the second annual Matt Talbot Novena, former Dublin South Fine Gael TD George Lee told mass goers that, “we need ....

Minister says current lone parent system not working
The situation whereby parents can obtain the Lone Parent Allowance until their child reaches 22 if the child is in full-time education, is “not in the best interests of the recipient, their ....

Legal expert expresses scepticism over child referendum
A leading constitutional lawyer has expressed scepticism about the need for a children's rights referendum. Speaking on the RTÉ radio programme, This Week, Dr Gerard Hogan, the co-author of a ....

New saints announced
Six new saints will be canonised this autumn.  Pope Benedict XVI and the College of Cardinals approved the causes for sainthood of the ‘Blesseds’ to be made saints at a ceremony on Sunday ....

Church's teaching authority damaged by scandals, Archbishop admits
The Church’s ability to speak out on issues regarding its teaching on marriage and the family, sexual morality and on its role in education has been damaged by the impact of the child abuse ....

New report shows decline in marriage
Marriage in Ireland has declined steeply since the 1980s, a new report has confirmed. The report, entitled Family Figures: Family Dynamics and Family Types in Ireland, was published yesterday by ....

Archbishop welcomes those wishing to join the Catholic Church
Forty-four people took part in a special ceremony in St. Mary’s Pro Cathedral in Dublin Sunday last, seeking to join the Catholic Church. Forty-one people (called ‘catechumens’) presented to ....

UK poll shows religious vote could be key to general election result
Voters with a religious faith could determine the outcome of the next UK general election, according to a new poll published by Theos, the public theology think tank. The poll reveals some ....