A calendar of mercy The Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelisation has published a full schedule of events for the coming Jubilee Year of Mercy, beginning with the opening of the Holy Door of St Peter’s Basilica on December 8, the feast of the Immaculate Conception. Over a dozen individual celebrations are scheduled for the…

Govt accused of ‘systematically’ attacking family

Fr Robert McCabe CF, Chaplain to the Forces, blessing the grave of Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa on the centenary of his burial at Glasnevin Cemetery, the first of the State’s official commemorations of the 1916 Rising.

Staff Reporter Ireland’s national shrine at Knock will make history at the weekend as the first transatlantic flight carrying pilgrims arrives for the annual novena. Led by Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, the pilgrims’ first Mass at the shrine will be broadcast live by RTÉ. Fr Richard Gibbons, rector of Knock Shrine described the…

Funding for social housing has collapsed under the Fine Gael-Labour Government, according to data received by Fianna Fáil following a parliamentary question to Minister Alan Kelly. The data shows that there has been a 79% fall in funding for local authority housing, a 70% fall in funding for voluntary and housing co-operatives, and a 53%…

Bro. Denis Aherne, OFM (centre standing) pictured with members of the Burlington community following his first profession in a ceremony with the Provincial Minister of the Irish Franciscans, Friar Hugh McKenna OFM on Sunday. Bro. Denis is a member of the Irish Franciscan Province and having completed his postulancy in the Franciscan Friary, Killarney, Co.…

Priests have described the theft of the Blessed Sacrament from a Co. Cavan church as deeply upsetting and proof that we are losing a sense of respect for the sacred in Irish society. It is believed that two young children managed to break into the sacristy of St Patrick’s Church in Kilnaleck, Co. Cavan last…

Pope Francis has given his seal of approval to Declan Donnelly’s marriage to agent Ali Astal. Declan, who is one half of TV duo ‘Ant and Dec’, was presented with a special framed certificate from Pope Francis at his wedding at the weekend. During the ceremony, the groom’s brother, Fr Dermott Donnelly, presented the couple…

Experts in religious education have challenged claims that the quality of the subject in Irish schools needs closer scrutiny, pointing out that an article arguing this admits that there is a lack of serious research on the subject. ‘Religion, Education, and Religious Education in Irish Schools’, by UCC professors Áine Hyland and Brian Bocking, recognises…

Over 1,000 young Catholics are expected to descend on the Cistercian College in Co. Tipperary next week for the annual Youth 2000 Summer Festival. Youth 2000 is an international movement of young people called to spread the Good News and the cornerstones of its spirituality are the Eucharist and the rosary. The festival, which combines…