New Whitty Wing at Dublin's Mater Hospital blessed.

VMM's contribution to international development highlighted.

Contribution recognises unprecedented scale of the crisis - Minister Costello.

“Healthcare cannot be selective or preferential – it must reach out to every human being."

“Religion and politics need to converse if education is to flourish rather than flounder."

The Apostolic Nuncio has paid tribute to Ireland’s “long and radiant history of men and women of conscience” who preferred to suffer rather than deny what their conscience tells them is right.

A former Director of Public Prosecutions has asserted that the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013 may be inconsistent with the Constitutional clause which recognises the right to life of the unborn and the equal right to life of the mother and promises to “defend and vindicate that [...]

More than 80 per cent of voters would prefer to see the abortion issue resolved by referendum than by the politicians in Leinster House, and 70 per cent believe that if legislators are to decide the issue they should be allowed a free vote.

These are the findings of a poll [...]

Trócaire and Concern have launched emergency appeals for Syria. Trócaire warns that the situation in the region threatens to reach catastrophic levels following the dramatic deterioration in the situation in Syria and neighbouring countries.

“Over eight million people are in urgent need of humanitarian aid,” said Maurice McQuillan, Trócaire’s Head of Humanitarian [...]

Suicide is one of the most challenging contemporary problems in Ireland. It is a major concern for families and communities throughout the country. It is claiming an average of 500 lives per year in the Republic and 300 in Northern Ireland. A cross border report published last January found that [...]

The Catholic bishops of Ireland have asked the faithful in parishes all over the country to join Pope Francis this weekend in praying in support of the “Gospel of Life”.  Celebrating the encyclical letter Evangelium Vitae, Pope Francis will join in the special event entitled, ‘Believing, May They Have Life’ which [...]

The Pro Life Campaign has questioned the results of a survey on abortion published in yesterdays’ Irish Times, which showed 75% in favour of abortion, with just 14% against.

The sample of 1,000 voters aged 18 and over,  were asked the question “The government has published the heads of a Bill [...]

Professor Desmond O’Neill is a consultant physician in geriatric and stroke medicine. On Friday 15th June at IEC2012 he delivered a talk under the title ‘The Communion of the Sick and Dying’.

This is the story of what I did. That is all. I make no claims and I hope I make no generalisations. But maybe what I have to say will help someone else in their struggle with the disease.

Through writing this very personal book on her son's suicide, Carol Anne emerges eventually, a different but stronger person, with a deep desire to help young people.

In Father Aidan Troy's book there is a wide range of useful advice as well as information to help those touched by a suicide find ways of dealing with the emotional aftermath.

103pp. First published by The Irish Catholic 2009. Veritas 2010. To purchase this book online go to www.veritas.ie

CONTENTS

Introduction by Tony Hanna 

Andy Campbell, an Irish SVD missionary, brings a little joy to Ghana’s lepers at Christmas. Here he talks about challenging the stigma attached to the disease.

Sister Carla Simmons writes about bringing home care to families living with AIDS in Uganda. She is a sister-doctor of the Medical Missionaries of Mary. This article first appeared in Healing and Development, a publication of the Medical Missionaries of Mary.

This book by Mgr Charles G. Vella, who has had long experience as a hospital chaplain, stresses the humanising and healing effects of the simple communicative acts of listening, caressing, smiling, stopping by and giving time to sick patients and not treating them as a number. Useful for anyone working [...]

John Horan SDB advises people to try to become aware of the ingrained habits of mind which may turn life into a constant source of worry.