HSE care for children "confused and unwieldy", says expert
The Health Service Executive (HSE) is “not fit for purpose” when it comes to looking after the welfare of children in care, an expert on the subject has claimed. Norah Gibbons, director of ....

Limerick nuns warn they will have to close nursing home
The Bon Secours  Sisters in Limerick say they will have to close a 50-bed nursing home in Dooradoyle on the west of the city later this year unless a private company can be found to take it ....

Families despair over school costs
It costs almost €1,000 for young people to start in secondary school according to a survey by Barnardos.  Research by the children's charity revealed the average basic cost for a child ....

New Bishop says that surgery has been difficult but necessary for the church
The newly ordained Bishop of Clogher Bishop Liam McDaid has said that it may be no bad thing that the Irish Catholic Church has been brought to its knees over the child abuse crisis.  Bishop ....

Popular Clonmel place of pilgrimage to be marked with photographic exhibition
The sixtieth anniversary of a popular Clonmel place of pilgrimage is to be marked next week with a special photographic exhibition.  This year marks the sixtieth year that Clonmel locals ....

Archbishop warns pilgrims against a culture of blame.
An estimated 20,000 pilgrims undertook the traditional Reek Sunday ascent of Croagh Patrick in Co Mayo yesterday. They braved heavy mist and low cloud on the summit, which made climbing conditions ....

Missionary founder remembered
The journey from the Fenians to independence marks the backdrop of modern Irish history to Michael Tierney’s life and times.  His life tells of another history, no less authentic and certainly ....

Popular Monsignor given a civic reception in Gorey
A popular County Wexford Monsignor who at one time was tipped as a future Bishop of Ferns and who served for ten years as parish priest of Gorey was this week afforded a civic reception by the ....

Restore beauty to Catholic liturgy: Fota III International Liturgical conference
An appeal to restore beauty to Catholic liturgy was the key theme that emerged from the Fota III International Liturgical Conference Psallite sapienter: Benedict XVI on Sacred Music held recently ....

Carlow church celebrates 200 years
Parishioners in Drumphea in County Carlow have celebrated the 200th anniversary of their village church with a week of festivities. The programme of events began with Benediction and included a ....

Kells church continues to celebrate Jubilee
The celebrations to mark the golden jubilee of a County Meath church continue in earnest in the Royal County.  To mark the 50th anniversary of Saint Colmcille’s Church in Kells, the local ....

" We need a new war - a war on poverty ..." - McVerry
We need a much stronger sense of solidarity to come out of the economic crisis, and yet such solidarity was almost destroyed by the Celtic Tiger, according to Fr Peter McVerry SJ who addressed the ....

Case of Knock miracle to be forwarded to the Vatican
A woman who regained her ability to walk after been paralysed for 10 years could be become the first case of a miracle at Knock Shrine in County Mayo in 131 years.   Marian Carroll (59) ....

Clogher Bishop-elect warns over dangerous driving
A County Donegal born Monsignor who will tomorrow become the new Bishop of Clogher has urged all young drivers to think of both their own safety and the safety of others.  Monsignor Liam ....

Big turnout expected at ordination of new Bishop of Clogher
Over one thousand dignitaries, politicians, business leaders and community representatives have been invited to attend the ordination of Monsignor Liam McDaid as the new Bishop of Clogher which ....

Focus on prevention of HIV and AIDS
Despite major advances in technology and access to anti-retroviral medications for those affected with HIV / AIDS, only short-term gains will be made if the underlying causes of the epidemic’s ....

Arson attack on Armagh church latest in series of incidents
A County Armagh parish priest has praised the vigilance of his parishioners in preventing their local church from being burned down in the latest of a series of incidents at churches in Northern ....

Safety concerns on Skellig Micheal to Be discussed at Wordl Heritage Committee
Safety concerns about Skellig Michael off the County Kerry coast are to be discussed at the next session of the world heritage committee.  The move follows the deaths last year of two US ....

Kildare VEC apologise for religious gaff on application form
A newly built primary school in County Kildare, which will be run by the local Vocational Educational Committee (VEC), has had to change a question about religion on its application form after a ....

Alcohol abuse leading to "frightening" levels of child abuse, says bishop
Frightening numbers of children are being physically abused, and many under-18s are being sexually abused because of alcohol addiction, Bishop Donal McKeown has said. Speaking at the annual Mass ....

Mayo mountain rescue calls for safety measures ahead of Reek Sunday
The Mayo Mountain Rescue crew chief has called for urgent safety repairs on Croagh Patrick ahead of the annual Reek Sunday Pilgrimage on Sunday July 25.  Up to 25,000 people are expected to ....

Burnham: Labour should apologise for anti-faith stance
A leading contender for the leadership of the UK Labour Party has said that the party looked “ridiculous” for creating a culture that marginalises Christians. Andy Burnham, the current Shadow ....

Hospice Africa - the Uganda story
“Patients with advanced disease, severe pain and gross disfigurement were sent home from hospital to die, with nothing stronger than a few paracetamol.  I could not stand by and let this ....

Religious freedom is "the path to peace", Pope says
Pope Benedict has chosen the theme of “religious freedom, the path of peace” as the theme of the 2011 World Day of Peace on January 1. In a statement this week, the Holy See said that religious ....

HSE needs to do more on childcare
We need to double the number of social workers in the childcare and child protection area in Ireland, and the 200 extra promised by the government is only a drop in the ocean, according to Ineke ....

Irish High Cross replicas go on display at National Museum
Plaster cast replicas of six of Ireland's earliest Christian High Crosses have been put on display at the National Museum of Ireland at Collins Barracks in Dublin recently.  The exhibition ....

Argentina adopts same-sex marriage law
The Argentinean Senate has voted to legalise same-sex marriages despite opposition by huge numbers of Argentineans. The act makes Argentina the first Latin American country to legalise same-sex ....

Bishop of Kerry claims women have a huge role to play in the church
The Bishop of Kerry Dr Bill Murphy has said that women still have a huge part to play in the running of the Catholic Church in Ireland.  Speaking this week, he said that he did not like to ....

Diocese of Ferns receives donations after bishops appeal
The cash-strapped Diocese of Ferns has received donations from over ten people after the Bishop of the diocese appealed to people for funds earlier this year.  The move created international ....

Civil Partnership Bill "Christian", Ahern says
Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern (pictured) has said that the passage of the Civil Partnership Bill is the mark of a Christian society. Speaking at the launch of the publication by the Gay and ....

Papal honour for Ballina woman
A County Mayo born accountant, who has worked for the past 40 years in Dublin, has been honoured by Pope Benedict XVI.  Dr Margaret Downes who is a native of Ballina, County Mayo was ....

Kilkenny and Laois celebrate work of famous priest
A number of community groups in County Kilkenny and County Laois this week honoured an extraordinary priest who helped found Refugee Trust International, now known as VITA.    The late ....

Children's Ombudsman calls for children's referendum
The Ombudsman for Children, Emily Logan has repeated her call for the Government to hold a referendum to amend the Constitution and insert a children's rights clause. Launching her fifth annual ....

New 'Norms' afford better protection
Bishop John McAreavey, Bishop of Dromore and co-chair of the Bishops’ Council for Communications welcomed the publication by the Holy See of the new Normae de Gravioribus Delictis (norms concerning ....

Bishop of Elphin critical of Civil Partnership Bill
The Bishop of Elphin Dr Christopher Jones has warned that the Civil Partnership Bill will lead to a breakdown of society.  Speaking at a mass in Boyle County Roscommon where jubilee weddings ....

More ask for help
There has been an increase of up to 50% in calls to the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) according to the organisation's vice president.  About one in four calls each month comes from ....

Missionary nun retires to live as hermit
A County Meath nun who has spent forty years working as a nurse in Zambia is now retiring to live as a religious hermit in Mullingar. Sr Veronica Moore made her profession of vows for the ....

Ballybunion parish priest criticises vandalism
The parish priest of one of Ireland's most popular holiday resorts has criticised mindless vandals who vandalised a tomb in the town dedicated to the memory of a former parish priest.  ....

Argentinian Senate committee rejects same-sex marriage
An Argentinean Senate committee on Monday rejected a same-sex marriage bill backed by the Government following the handing in of a petition signed by over 635,000 people in defence of marriage last ....

Bishop of Kerry claims he has done his best to deal with child abuse
The Bishop of Kerry Dr Bill Murphy has said that he has done his level best to ensure that he has responded to allegations of child sexual abuse in his diocese.  Bishop Murphy made his ....