THE head of the Catholic Church in Ireland has given the strongest indication yet that the hierarchy may order dioceses to cease facilitating civil wedding ceremonies if this month’s referendum on marriage equality is carried.

The head of the Catholic church in Ireland has accused Stormont's justice minister of trying to exclude anti-abortion arguments from a consultation on changing the law.

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Seán Brady, the leader ofthe Catholic Church in Ireland.

Cardinal Sean Brady has offered his resignation as Archbishop of Armagh.

Protestant church leaders have historically looked ‘the other way’, when it came to dealing with the abuse and neglect children were subjected to in their institutions.

The Taoiseach has ruled out any further legislation on abortion — despite at least three senior ministers stating they favour allowing terminations in cases of fatal foetal abnormalities.

In his first address to his diocese, the new Bishop of Cloyne threw down the gauntlet to the banks, warning they need to “do more of the heavy lifting” as the financial crisis is crushing ordinary people.

I wish to comment on Victoria White’s sobering article (Opinion, Jan 3) — “Justice needed for the survivors of and victims of Bethany House abuse”.

Cardinal Sean Brady has appealed to all those who go to a Church or visit a crib this year to reflect on why they are a follower of Christ.

Church of Ireland Primate of All Ireland Alan Harper is to retire, he announced today.

The minister for Social Protection is the latest in a line of politicians who have questioned Cardinal Seán Brady’s role at the top of the Catholic Church in Ireland.

I’ve watched RTE reporter Tommie Gorman’s 18 minute interview on May 2 with Catholic Primate of All Ireland and Archbishop of Armagh, Cardinal Sean Brady, about when, in 1975, as a part-time 36 year-old-secretary to a bishop, he was the notetaker at a meeting with a young man telling his story of being abused by the most persistent of paedophile priests, Fr Brendan Smyth.

CARDINAL Seán Brady has strongly defended the seal of confession and reiterated the Church’s opposition to abortion and euthanasia.

A church leader called today for a new banking morality to end a process which has “driven hard-working people to the point of suicide”.

Cardinal Seán Brady in his Easter homily today said there was "no hiding place for abusers in the Church in Ireland".

SURVIVORS of clerical abuse say the Primate of All-Ireland and Archbishop of Armagh, Cardinal Seán Brady, told them he would comply with a statutory tribunal into the Church’s handling of clerical sex abuse complaints, if such a body was to be established.

THE resignations of three more Irish bishops will be accepted by the Pope in the coming weeks following the departure yesterday of the Bishop of Cloyne.

CARDINAL Cahal Daly was best known during his time in office as an outspoken critic of the IRA.

Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, Cardinal Sean Brady, has asked for prayers for Cardinal Cahal Daly.

The North’s loyalist communities must be freed from the shadow of the gun through the complete removal of illegal weapons, the Church of Ireland said today.

The Government will be making the same mistakes as Britain and the US if it brings in legislation to give co-habiting couples the same rights as married couples, Cardinal Sean Brady warned today.

DURING the closing session of the Eucharistic Congress in Quebec City yesterday, Pope Benedict XVI announced that the next Eucharistic Congress — the 50th — will be held in Dublin in 2012.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has paid tribute to Archbishop Sean Brady just hours ahead of his appointment to the College of Cardinals in Rome today.

The Catholic Primate and Archbishop of Armagh Dr Sean Brady is tonight preparing to be made a Cardinal in the Vatican.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern will represent the Government when Archbishop of Armagh Dr Sean Brady is made a cardinal in Rome later this month.

President Mary McAleese is to attend the Vatican ceremony where Catholic Primate Sean Brady is to be made a Cardinal on November 24, it emerged tonight.

ARCHBISHOP Seán Brady said yesterday he was “humbled” after the Vatican announced he was to be made cardinal.

The Pope's elevation of the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland to cardinal was an expression of the pontiff's desire to see the peace process continue to succeed and become a model for the rest of the world, Archbishop Sean Brady said today.

The Bishop of Connor has been elected Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, it was announced this afternoon.

Over 100,000 pilgrims are expected to make the annual climb to the peak of Croagh Patrick tomorrow morning.

Church leaders today appealed to Afghan asylum seekers to end their five-day hunger strike in a historic Dublin cathedral.

THE Augustinian Order has apologised to the Catholic hierarchy for allowing three of its priests to concelebrate the Eucharist in a 1916 Rising anniversary Mass with a Church of Ireland minister.

It is hard to understand the mentality of those who have made a fuss over Fr Iggy O’Donovan inviting the Reverend Michael Graham, a Church of Ireland Minister, to join in the celebration of Mass on Easter Sunday.

It is hard to understand the mentality of those who have made a fuss over Fr Iggy O’Donovan inviting the Reverend Michael Graham, a Church of Ireland Minister, to join in the celebration of Mass on Easter Sunday.

THE priest at the centre of a major ecumenical row has defended his decision to organise a concelebrated Mass involving three Catholic priests and a Church of Ireland minister on Easter Sunday.

The Orange Order has issued its first ever St Patrick's Day message saying the festival should be about more than just green beer and leprechauns.

MORE THAN 80 prisoners were granted early release for the canonisation of Blessed Oliver Plunkett - but they were the only ones to greet the occasion with unqualified delight.

A LEADING support group for victims of child sex abuse has dismissed the Catholic Church’s new child protection guidelines as a “giant step backwards”.

The Catholic Primate of Ireland has refused to comment on media reports about an allegation made against the former Bishop of Galway, Eamon Casey.

Dr Sean Brady, the Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland has called on the Government to reach our overseas aid target by 2010.

CHRISTIAN Churches in Ireland have suffered because of a lack of ecumenism and largely have themselves to blame for losing touch with society, Church of Ireland primate Most Rev Robin Eames said last night.

The Rev Ian Paisley could have face to face talks with the head of the Catholic church in Ireland, it was confirmed today.

More must be done to help children caught in the “intolerable” poverty trap in Ireland, a senior cleric said today.