Historian Catherine Corless, who exposed the Tuam Babies scandal, tells Donal O’Keeffe why she feels Tuam and Bessborough need to be excavated, and highlights Pope Francis’ apparent confusion about Tuam.

The Catholic Church should stop to consider its message before preaching to the nation as it faces up to declining faith in Ireland, Archbishop of Tuam Michael Neary told Croagh Patrick pilgrims.

The newly-ordained Bishop of Ossory has weighed into the debate on abortion on his first day in office, describing as “paradoxical and in some ways the ultimate delusion” the proposal to “extinguish” the right to life of a child.

The madcap annual clamber up the sides of a fast-eroding mountain, which to outsiders must seem slightly bonkers, claimed its usual list of casualties, from heart attacks to head injuries, writes Catherine Shanahan. 

Organised crime gangs are flying into Ireland in order to carry out weekend raids on stores selling smartphones, a retail body has said.

Prof James M Smith says that the Church either knew what was happening in Tuam and did nothing or that its bishops never fulfilled their pastoral duty under Canon Law

The Bishop of Elphin says he finds it difficult to see how any Catholic could “in good conscience” vote for an election candidate or party whose policy is to legalise abortion.

The controversial House of Prayer at Achill Island in Co Mayo last year returned to profit as revenues more than doubled to over €530,000.

A number of people were taken by stretcher off the summit of Croagh Patrick yesterday suffering various stages of hypothermia.

Religious faith should act as a protest movement against consumerism, according to the Catholic Archbishop of Tuam, Michael Neary.

Some 20 years after predictions were made of a ‘Catholic restoration’, the Church finds itself lost in modern Ireland, writes TP O’Mahony

The new Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, Cork-born Bishop Kieran O’Reilly, will be installed early in 2015.

The thousands of pilgrims who climbed Croagh Patrick were told by the Archbishop of Tuam that people who were reluctant to criticise other religions felt they could say anything they wanted about Christianity.

THE Tuam babies story this week says much about the past, but about the present also.

An adoption rights campaigner has compared getting information on deaths at mother and baby homes to "trying to penetrate the iron curtain".

The Archbishop of Tuam says it is his understanding that the managers of the mother and baby Home in Tuam handed material to Galway County Council and health authorities in 1961.

May I take this opportunity of drawing to the Taoiseach’s attention, that given the recent deluge of information which is emerging with reference to the Mother and Baby Home at Tuam, Co. Galway, it is becoming imperative that the Government finally takes action to face up to this shocking episode in the history of the State.

The Archbishop of Tuam, Michael Neary, said he welcomes the announcement that a cross-departmental examination is to be carried out of the burial arrangements for children in Mother and Baby Homes.

The Catholic Church is facing fresh accusations of child neglect after a researcher found records for 796 youngsters believed to be buried in a mass grave beside a former orphanage for the children of unwed mothers.

Knock Marriage Introductions arranged hundreds of introductions last year, resulting in 10 weddings.

The Wheel, a resource organisation for charities and voluntary groups, described Section 38 agencies to me as “arms of the State in all but governance”. But shouldn’t all arms of the State be headed by the State? Isn’t governance all important?

Patients of former obstetrician Michael Neary who had their ovaries removed unnecessarily can apply to be considered under a new redress scheme from today.

Around 35 former patients of Dr Michael Neary who were previously excluded from the Lourdes Hospital redress scheme are being invited to apply to the fund.

A bequest of almost €1m from an anonymous donor was not enough to prevent aid agency Trócaire sliding into the red last year.

More than 20,000 pilgrims, including three bishops, braved torrential rain yesterday to scale the 764m to the summit of Croagh Patrick for the annual Reek Sunday climb.

The trial of a priest charged with the sexual abuse of two brothers in a Co Galway school in the 1970s collapsed at Galway Circuit Criminal Court yesterday.

Mary Pakenham is one of the 35 women left out of a redress scheme for former patients damaged by disgraced obstetrician Michael Neary.

Women left out of a redress scheme for former patients of disgraced surgeon Michael Neary have urged Health Minister James Reilly to keep his promise that he would look after them.

Patient Focus will today call on Health minister James Reilly to fulfil a promise made to 35 women who were left out of a redress scheme for former patients of doctor Michael Neary at the Lourdes Hospital.

MARCH 16-22

The funeral arrangements for the late Archbishop Joseph Cassidy have been announced.

New laws to reform a limited ban on abortion will create a culture of life and not one of death, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said.

The Junior Minister Kathleen Lynch says the four Archbishops of the Catholic Church are entitled to their opinions on abortion.

The four Catholic Archbishops of Ireland have said the Government's decision to legislate for abortion when the life of a woman is at risk, will pave the way for the direct and intentional killing of unborn children.

The four Catholic Archbishops of Ireland have condemned the government's decision to legislate for abortion - saying it will pave the way for the direct and intentional killing of unborn children.

Victims of medical negligence are set to receive long-overdue compensation as part of a multimillion-euro deal between the State and a medical organisation.

ARCHBISHOP Diarmuid Martin is without doubt the most impressive and respected prelate in the country.

More than 20,000 people are expected to make the annual pilgrimage to Croagh Patrick today.

The former Minister for Health, Mary Harney, stated in the Dáil on Feb 23, 2010, that she has “ruled out an inquiry into symphysiotomy surgical operations”.

With a freezer full of sausages and steaks, Michael Neary and Joe O’Grady yesterday set out on what must be one of the longest campervan trips from Ireland to Poland.

A Confirmation service for more than 90 children was disrupted by wild scenes after Communion, when about a dozen men entered the church carrying slash hooks and chased a man who was attending the ceremony.

A woman whose womb and ovaries were needlessly removed by disgraced obstetrician Michael Neary said yesterday her fight for justice was almost over.

A woman whose womb was needlessly removed by disgraced obstetrician Michael Neary said today that her fight for justice was almost over.

OF the 18 priests who have been accused of child sexual abuse in the diocese of Tuam since 1975, just two have been convicted.

THE directors of the company that operates the House of Prayer on Achill Island in Co Mayo said they have taken steps to ensure its survival.

PRIESTS and bishops share the public’s anger and distress at the Church’s mishandling of clerical child sex abuse, it has been claimed.

The Archbishop of Tuam has said priests and bishops share the public's anger and distress at the Church's mishandling of clerical child sex abuse.