Theo McDonald Hundreds of protestors gathered outside the RDS on Saturday as women’s rights group The Countess held a conference highlighting the impact of ‘gender ideology’ on Irish society. As protestors shouted “shame on you”, some attendees reported being spat on as they tried to enter the conference. One attendee mentioned how she had to enter through the back of the RDS. CEO of the Countess Laoise de Brún spoke of how despite the setbacks “this is a landmark moment for the movement in Ireland”. De Brún, who is a barrister, spoke of reforming the Gender Recognition Act 2015 as ..read more

EXCLUSIVE A lack of formation and Canon Law are “major roadblocks” to embedding synodality and co-responsibility in Ireland, Irish dioceses have said in new submissions ahead of the October listening sessions in Rome. Additionally, there is “complacency and paralysis” when it comes to laity assuming responsibility locally, despite the “pressing need” to involve laity in a variety of service projects, warn the dioceses’ in submissions to the Irish synodal steering committee seen by The Irish Catholic. In Dublin diocese, there is a growing awareness within Parish Pastoral Councils of the need ..read more

The Archbishop of Dublin has warned that the Church can’t be reduced to buildings, particularly at a time when preaching the Gospel is needed more than ever before “in the history of the Church in Ireland”. Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Archbishop Dermot Farrell said that “the Church can’t be reduced to buildings, or even to a geographical parish”. “The key thing in the Church is the proclamation of the Gospel, that’s not limited to an infrastructure. In fact, we have a total surfeit of infrastructure that we don’t actually need,” Archbishop Farrell said. “We could do with a lot l ..read more

The recently installed Bishop of Down and Connor will no doubt face some tough, unpopular decisions as his diocese faces a dearth of priests and decreasing Mass attendance – much the same as dioceses across Ireland. Bishop Alan McGuckian SJ, who was installed last month after serving as Bishop of Raphoe for almost seven years,… The post Confidently proclaiming the Gospel and making Down and Connor fit for mission appeared first on The Irish Catholic ..read more

The number of Catholic weddings made up just 35% of all those taking place in the State – the lowest recorded figure since the year 2000 – with civil ceremonies (32%) catching up quickly, marriage statistics for 2023 show. The proportion of Catholic weddings fell from 40% in 2022, while the percentage of civil ceremonies climbed from 26.2%, according the Central Statistics Office’s (CSO) latest figures. There were 21,159 weddings in the State in 2023, made up of 20,513 opposite-sex marriages and 646 between same-sex couples. The figures are starkest in Ireland’s capital, where the 263 Catholi ..read more

In my secondary school, we had a lovely English teacher called Sr Anna. To my 16-year-old self, Sr Anna, with grey wisps and translucent skin against a black veil, seemed at least 70. She was feisty though. And she was concerned for our teenage souls, often lacing our literary discussions with debates on morality. Except… The post Standardised sex ed erodes flexibility of Catholic and other faith schools appeared first on The Irish Catholic ..read more

Those who challenge modern certainties are “taken to the edge of the cliff”, the Abbot of Glenstal said in a homily at Trinity College Dublin (TCD), encouraging openness to all knowledge in education at a time when free-speech debates rage on college campuses. Fr Brendan Coffey OSB also railed against the “irrational fear” behind a recent spate of attacks, violence, arson and xenophobia, in a homily given at the Service of Commemoration and Thanksgiving at TCD on April 22. “Anything that might seem to threaten our narrow world of certainties was pushed off the cliff,” Fr Coffey said, referenc ..read more

I hope Dr Hilary Cass wins in the battle for children’s bodies, writes Dualta Roughneen   The response to the Cass Report in the UK must be strikingly familiar to people in Ireland. The Cass Report, a lengthy and in-depth review, led by Dr Hilary Cass, aimed to “ensure that children and young people who… The post Ideology replaces fact in response to trans report appeared first on The Irish Catholic ..read more

Two young saints set to be canonised in 2025, Blesseds Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis, can bring young Irish people to God, an Irish priest involved in saints’ canonisation causes has said. While most people think of saints as being older or from centuries ago, Blessed Pier Giorgio – who died age 24 – and Blessed Acutis – died age 15 – can encourage young people to embrace sanctity today, Fr John Hogan OCDS told The Irish Catholic. “Pier Giorgio and Carlos Acutis had very different personalities,” said Fr Hogan, responsible for promoting saints’ causes in the Diocese of Meath. “But th ..read more

Most politicians are dancing down the road to assisted dying with talk of meaningless ‘safeguards’, writes Michael Kelly   On Monday of this week, the British parliament discussed the issue of euthanasia. The House of Commons heard passionate pleas from many MPs calling for people to be allowed to end their lives in a way… The post Our hospitals are war zones – euthanasia will become the ‘decent thing’ appeared first on The Irish Catholic ..read more