Irish rescuer of migrants who is facing 25 years in jail appeals to Pope for help

A young German-Irish man facing up to 25 years in jail for rescuing migrants at risk of drowning off the Greek island of Lesbos is hoping to enlist Pope Francis’ help in quashing the case against him.

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Gallery

Survey links Covid curbs to mental health issues in Irish jailed overseas

Restrictions imposed during the pandemic contributed to mental health difficulties in up to 60pc of Irish prisoners in overseas jails, a survey has revealed.

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Covid curbs are turning country into police state, says priest warned by gardaí over mass

A parish priest whom gardaí threatened to prosecute over a mass for up to 50 people in Co Cavan last Sunday has said the Covid-19 restrictions on public worship are turning the country into “a police state”.

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Gallery

'Mass devalued by dress-down crowd,' says top theologian

One of the country's top theologians has hit out at "service station" Masses attended by bored congregations who "dress down" for the liturgy and expect priests to be "entertainers".

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Pope Francis signs off on changes to the 'Our Father' prayer

THE ‘Our Father’ – one of the Catholic Church’s most revered and best-loved prayers – is set to change at the behest of Pope Francis who believes its wording portrays God in a false light as the “one who leads you astray”.

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'Tools of Satan' - Pope denounces paedophile priests as he demands battle against abusers

Pope Francis has denounced priests and members of religious congregations who abuse children as the "tools of Satan".

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Irish society is changing rapidly - but that doesn't mean everyone is losing their faith

Pope Francis's recent visit to Ireland has been widely compared to that of Pope John Paul II in 1979 as an indication of how the place of religion, and specifically Catholicism, has changed in Irish society.

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Top cardinals must stay away from the papal visit - victims

A group representing survivors of clerical abuse around the world has demanded that three top cardinals who are due to attend the World Meeting of Families in Dublin next week stay away.

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Nasdaq hits fresh high as February losses regained

The Nasdaq Composite Index rallied to a fresh record on Friday, capping an 11pc gain since its February 8 low as investors poured back into the nine-year-old bull market's biggest winners.

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Archbishop hits out at 'evil' criminal gangs

"We can be so judgemental and hurtful towards those whom we decide have failed and those who drift outside our self-made ideas of respectability," he told hundreds of people who took part in the Good Friday walk to the papal cross in the Phoenix Park.

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Premium

The bishops' inaction is the true scandal that alienates the faithful

The latest scandal to hit the Catholic seminary in Maynooth has implications not only for a college with a venerable 200-year history, but it also appears to be tearing apart the country's bishops, while forcing some of the Irish Church's most loyal Catholics to question a few sacred cows.

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Church surprised by sudden resignations

Pope Francis surprised the Irish Church when he announced the resignation of two Irish bishops.

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Bishop says child fear has led to loss of altar servers

Some parishes in a Catholic diocese that was once described as "the most evil diocese in the world" following child sex abuse revelations now have no altar servers due to fears over the safety of young people.

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Congress to discuss respect for unborn

One of the country's most outspoken Catholic bishops has warned the Government against any attempt to repeal the Constitution's pro-life 8th amendment, describing any such move as "anti equality".

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Tánaiste Joan Burton says Ireland can accept up to 5,000 refugees

Tánaiste Joan Burton has said Ireland can accept up to 5,000 refugees over a period of time.

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Training of layman for ministry reignites church row

A CATHOLIC diocese is embroiled in a row over the training of a layman for the permanent diaconate, despite a bishop's announcement that plans to train men for the ministry were being suspended.

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Poll

McAleese critical of Pope over comments on smacking children

Former President Mary McAleese has criticised Pope Francis’ comments on smacking children, warning it could signal a turning back of the clock in the church’s attitude to corporal punishment and children’s rights.

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Abuse victims urge Pope to let Cardinal go quickly

VICTIMS of clerical sexual abuse have called on Pope Francis to accept Cardinal Sean Brady's resignation immediately.

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Gallery

Pope likely to accept Cardinal Brady's letter of resignation

Pope Francis is expected to accept the resignation of Cardinal Sean Brady as Primate of All Ireland in the coming months.

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Irish hierarchy set for change – Papal Nuncio

The Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Charles Brown, told the Irish Independent that the restructuring of the Irish hierarchy would continue this year with new appointments in the pipeline for a number of dioceses.

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Church's message unchanged by new abortion bill

CARDINAL Sean Brady spoke of "the struggle between the culture of life and the culture of death" as he stressed his ongoing opposition to abortion legislation.

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How one woman combines hedge funds with charity

Amid the cloying dust, blaring car horns and beggars' wails that echo through the ancient streets of Kathmandu, Nepal, a familiar sound emerges: the strains of pop star Psy's 'Gangnam Style'. In front of a crowd of giggling teenagers, a 50-year-old woman dances, blond hair flying, arms waving.

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Brady claims legislation a 'Trojan horse' for new permissive regime

IRELAND's most senior Catholic prelate has claimed that the abortion legislation is a 'Trojan horse' which heralds a much more liberal and aggressive abortion regime.

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Labour hits back at bishops' abortion vote appeal

The Labour Party has hit back at Catholic bishops' claims that the new abortion legislation will throw the floodgates open for terminations.

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Martin ups pressure over wrong details given to UN body

ARCHBISHOP of Dublin Dr Diarmuid Martin has upped the pressure on the Government on the Magdalene Laundries issue by pointing out that it gave wrong information on its role to a key UN body.

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APN shares drop after profit declines on slump in ads

APN News & Media Ltd., the publisher of more than 100 newspapers in Australia and New Zealand, fell by the most in more than three months in Sydney after it said profit dropped 53pc on a slump in advertising revenue.