Mags GarganParishioners from the parish of Tullaherin/Bennettsbridge in Co. Kilkenny turned out in large numbers to celebrate the golden jubilee of Canon Patrick Duggan. The day began with a Mass of Thanksgiving where Canon Duggan spoke at length about his time in the priesthood. He said the highlight for him would have to be the daily…
Month: June 2015
Changing the script
Cathal BarryThere hasn’t always been such furore around the publication of papal encyclicals, writes Cathal Barry
Pope Francis to present palliums to two newest Irish archbishops
Courtney McGrailPope Francis will present each of Ireland’s two newest archbishops with a pallium, which signifies the power of a metropolitan archbishop, in a ceremony in the Vatican next week. The Holy Father will bless and present the pallium, a white woolen strip worn around the archbishop’s neck, to Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh and Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly…
Lough Derg is a ‘place of miracles’
Michael KellyIn the second of a two-part feature on St Patrick’s Purgatory, Michael Kelly writes about this compelling place
Eucharistic Congress in Cebu to highlight vibrant Asian Church
An unforgettable experience awaits pilgrims, writes Bishop Kevin Doran
Clonard novena continues to attract huge crowds
The new rector of Clonard Monastery in Belfast has described the annual novena as a real “phenomenon” with more than 15,000 people attending the services daily. “It is a phenomenon,” said Fr Noel Kehoe. “We estimate that more than 15,000 people are attending daily this year. At the first session at 6.45am we have 1,500…
Obeying commandment to love our neighbour
Dear Editor, Dr Janina Lyons (Letters 11/06/2015) mourns the result of the same-sex marriage referendum and observes that of those who voted yes surely a number were older Mass-going Catholics. She believes that many did so because they thought it was a kind and loving thing to do for their gay family members and friends,…
Lebanese exodus looms as patriarchs fear widening crisis
Over a third of Lebanese people are seeking visas to leave their country, according to the Greek-Melkite Patriarch of Antioch. Speaking at the annual assembly of the Greek-Melkite Synod, held at the patriarchal summer residence in Ain Trez, Lebanon, Patriarch Grégoire III said that “according to a recent survey, 60% of the Lebanese are considering…
Pakistan Christians call for joint investigation into court rulings
A “Joint Investigation Team” should be set up to examine the cases of Asia Bibi and all others in prison in Pakistan for blasphemy, according to the Pakistan Christian Congress (PCC), which since 1985 has spoken up for the rights of the country’s tiny Christian minority. Asia Bibi, a Christian mother of five, was sentenced…
Revealing the truth on collusion
Dear Editor, I echo the demand for the truth made by the priests calling for the British government to release documents and order an independent investigation in to state collusion in killings in the North (IC 18/06/2015). It is now generally accepted that collusion did happen, but was it actually a government strategy and just…