Iona Institute
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The Iona Institute promotes the place of religion and marriage in society. (Charity Regulator No:20064365 ).
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As a young priest in his native Albania, Cardinal Ernest Simoni was sentenced to death twice by the communist regime. From 1962 until 1990, he did hard labour for his faith. Not only did he live to tell the tale, he is now 98 years of age and rather than retire, he still travels the world to share the Gospel. We can easily forget how recently people were being violently persecuted in Europe for their religious faith. Cardinal Simoni was in Ireland recently as a guest of Aid to the Church in Need Ireland. While here, he sat down and spoke with Michael Kelly of ACN about his faith. Watch the interview here youtube.com/watch?v=KMYYug…, in which the cardinal shares his remarkable story of faith and forgiveness and how he was elevated to the rank of cardinal, by Pope Francis ten years ago.
www.youtube.com ‘Living Martyr’ Cardinal Ernest Simoni on how forgiveness saved his life Catholic priest Ernest Simoni was sentenced to death twice for his ... Family life ‘fragile’, marriage and birth rates down, says Archbishop Martin
Family life is exhibiting fragility with marriage and birth rates down, according to the Archbishop of Armagh, Eamon Martin.
The Archbishop had been in Rome last week at the international assembly called by Pope Leo XIV to mark ten years after Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia.
He said the assembly heard about the huge cultural shifts which have had a major impact on family.
“We recognised much brokenness in families, the decline in birth rate and marriage rate, and the increased ease of divorce. Rates of cohabitation are also on the rise, and the seeming avoidance by young people of life-long commitment”.
He asked specifically how the Church can “encourage young people to embrace a vocation to marriage”.
Family life is exhibiting fragility with marriage and birth rates down, according to the Archbishop of Armagh, Eamon Martin.
The Archbishop had been in Rome last week at the international assembly called by Pope Leo XIV to mark ten years after Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia.
He said the assembly heard about the huge cultural shifts which have had a major impact on family.
“We recognised much brokenness in families, the decline in birth rate and marriage rate, and the increased ease of divorce. Rates of cohabitation are also on the rise, and the seeming avoidance by young people of life-long commitment”.
He asked specifically how the Church can “encourage young people to embrace a vocation to marriage”.
Worsening demographics will place great strain on health and finance
Ireland’s ageing demographics will place increasing pressure on the health service and on public finances, with thousands of extra hospital beds needed, tens of thousands of long-term residential care beds, and hundreds of extra GPs and practice nurses.
That’s according to the latest report from the ESRI.
Ireland’s fertility rate is now only 1.5, well below the replacement level of 2.1. The ESRI report assumes a fertility rate of 1.65 going forward for reasons not explained.
The Institute previously estimated that by 2040 Ireland will require an additional 5,091-7,780 public hospital beds, 20,695-27,207 long-term residential care beds, 943-1,211 General Practitioners (GPs) and 761-868 General Practice Nurses (GPNs) to meet growing demand arising from a growing and ageing population.
The latest report brings together evidence on projected demand, capacity and expenditure requirements, and considers what the system might need to remain sustainable.
It notes that even though Ireland’s population is relatively young, it already has one of the highest proportions of health and social care spending in Europe. Yet, expenditure requirements “are expected to increase significantly in the coming years”.
Report author Sheelah Connolly said while Ireland has begun to plan for higher health and social care demand, “demographic change will require sustained action”
Ireland’s ageing demographics will place increasing pressure on the health service and on public finances, with thousands of extra hospital beds needed, tens of thousands of long-term residential care beds, and hundreds of extra GPs and practice nurses.
That’s according to the latest report from the ESRI.
Ireland’s fertility rate is now only 1.5, well below the replacement level of 2.1. The ESRI report assumes a fertility rate of 1.65 going forward for reasons not explained.
The Institute previously estimated that by 2040 Ireland will require an additional 5,091-7,780 public hospital beds, 20,695-27,207 long-term residential care beds, 943-1,211 General Practitioners (GPs) and 761-868 General Practice Nurses (GPNs) to meet growing demand arising from a growing and ageing population.
The latest report brings together evidence on projected demand, capacity and expenditure requirements, and considers what the system might need to remain sustainable.
It notes that even though Ireland’s population is relatively young, it already has one of the highest proportions of health and social care spending in Europe. Yet, expenditure requirements “are expected to increase significantly in the coming years”.
Report author Sheelah Connolly said while Ireland has begun to plan for higher health and social care demand, “demographic change will require sustained action”
