Total Catholic

Church needs women to unveil 'masculine secrecy'

A greater presence of women in decision-making roles in the Church might have helped remove the "veil of masculine secrecy" that covered priestly sex abuse cases, a front-page commentary in the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano has said.

Vatican II was not a rejection of the past - Pope

Pope Benedict has underlined that Vatican II’s renewal of the Church was a sign of progress, not a repudiation the past.

Irish bishops condemn dissident Republicans

Ireland’s bishops have strongly criticised the continued threat posed by dissident Republicans to peace in Northern Ireland.

End to quota on Catholic recruitment in PSNI

The Northern Ireland Executive will not be allowed to set quotas for the recruitment of Catholics to the Police Service of Northern Ireland when policing and justice are devolved next month.

Traditionalist Anglican US parishes to join Church

Up to 100 traditionalist Anglican parishes in the US have signalled that they wish to join the Catholic Church as a group under the apostolic constitution "Anglicanorum Coetibus”.

Good Friday ban on sale of alcohol defended

A priest and a politician in Ireland have called for a debate over moves in the city of Limerick to have the traditional closure of pubs on Good Friday overturned in order to capitalise on a crunch Magners League rugby match which will take that day.