UN Security Council risks ‘doom loop’
Reform isn’t enough to improve the UN Security Council, writes Michael Sanfey Earlier this month the British Foreign Secretary and his French counterpart co- authored an op-ed celebrating the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale, a diplomatic agreement between the United Kingdom and France. “We have helped to forge a better world,” they wrote in… […]
Scotland pauses sex-change and puberty-blocker drugs for children
Scotland’s only gender clinic for minors is formally pausing the prescription of puberty blockers and hormone medications that are designed to facilitate gender transitions for children after a review commissioned by the English government questioned the efficacy of those practices. This announcement effectively ends the practice of providing sex-change drugs and hormone medications to children in Scotland […]
Facebook’s Catholic problem
The tech giant has a surprisingly long history of suppressing Catholic speech, writes Ian Dunn Facebook may not be the trendiest platform, but it remains incredibly popular. Every month, more than 3 billion people log in. The company’s grand mission statement is “to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer […]
Mural of Irish WWII hero priest vandalised in Kerry
A mural in honour of an Irish priest who saved thousands of Jewish people during World War II has been vandalised with Hitler references in Tralee. Kerry artist May Leen who painted the mural of Msgr Hugh O’Flaherty in 2015 said the priest’s family “don’t deserve to see this”. “To see this war hero, and […]
Archbishop Farrell: ‘Endurance and tenacity’ of Stardust families has secured justice
Speaking in the Church of St Joseph the Artisan in Bonnybrook, Dublin on Sunday, Archbishop of Dublin Dr Dermot Farrell commended the families of the deceased victims of the Stardust nightclub tragedy for their “endurance and tenacity” in their unrelenting pursuit of the truth, even though, according to him, they were “systematically and stubbornly denied […]
Human trafficking becoming ‘more prevalent’ in Ireland
Homelessness charities believe human trafficking is becoming “more prevalent” and they are coming in contact with more victims, according to a new report from Christian NGO Depaul. Depaul published An Overview of Homelessness and Human Trafficking in Dublin in conjunction with UK-based charity The Passage on Monday. The report found most homelessness charities believe they […]
What to say when the visitors come knocking
Senator Rónán Mullen It’s a big year, electorally speaking. We’ve already had two referendums that proved revealing. We’ll have the local and European elections on June 7. And Taoiseach Simon Harris may yet go to the country this October – if this Government’s last budget is, as expected, of the giveaway variety, then Harris… […]
The answer to loneliness, addiction and despair should not be death
Questions are asked openly about the future of the Church. It is said that it is in terminal decline.They have said this for centuries. Yet still it continues to grow. It was most unlikely, given the might of the Roman empire and the power relationships existing in the Holy Land at the time of Christ,… […]
Church can’t downplay priesthood for fear of offence – Bishop Cullinan
The Church can’t downplay the centrality of the priesthood to the life of the Church because of not wanting to “offend sensitivities”, Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan said at the close of the Year for Vocation. The charism of the priesthood has been an essential in the makeup of the Church since the beginning, the head of […]
Short window to save Catholic education stark report warns
EXCLUSIVE The “window is narrowing” to save Catholic education, and the Church must act now to increase investment and streamline resources by divesting schools to the State according to an in-depth report on Catholic schools in Ireland has warned. Catholic ethos will become “invisible” in schools if the Church doesn’t respond to the “trajectory of […]