Archbishop Eamon Marin has warned that social media is becoming a “harsh and dehumanising” environment for Catholics. Noting that “more and more journalists, members of the Church and other people with a public profile, have had to stop using social media as they have become victims of vitriol and abuse”, the Archbishop of Armagh said…

St Martin de Porres must have had trouble eating toward the end of his life, as he had only two teeth, according to Dr Paulo Miamoto, a member of a Brazilian anthropology and dentistry group that spoke at a presentation on the Dominican saint’s reconstructed face. Thousands of Catholics packed Lima’s Basilica of the Most…

Bishop Jozef De Kesel of Bruges has been named by Pope Francis to succeed Archbishop André-Joseph Léonard as Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels and the effective leader of Belgium’s Catholic Church. Ordained in 1972, Dr De Kesel is regarded as a protégée of Cardinal Godfried Danneels, who resigned in 2010 shortly before it emerged that he had…

Papal visit to Central African Republic later this month is confirmed The Holy See has confirmed that Pope Francis is to visit the Central African Republic later this month, after doubts were raised about the planned trip when the Pontiff said it was his “hope” that he could visit the conflict-riven country. Despite the country’s instability, the Vatican has announced that the Holy Father will…

Church representatives meeting in Cairo have called for peace and coexistence in the region. The Executive Council of the Middle East Council of Churches urged “heads of state and religious and political decision-makers in the world, Arabs and Muslims” to work for the preservation of religious pluralism, saying it is “the most precious treasure of…

Young people were to the fore at the annual concelebrated Mass of St Feichin in Abbey parish, Co. Galway through the music and through the prayers of the faithful. The prayers were composed and read by the five first Holy Communnicants in the parish. Chief celebrant was Fr John Hickey CC Abbey with seven concelebrants.…

Bishop John Mc Dowell, Church of Ireland Bishop of Clogher, was the guest speaker at the Annual General Conference of Catholic clergy in the Diocese of Clogher. The conference of clergy and co-workers was held in the Hillgrove Hotel, Monaghan. The theme of Bishop McDowell’s keynote address was ‘Personal Reflections on Ministry’. Recalling his formative…

A large number of young people recently gathered on Lough Derg to spend a weekend in retreat on Ireland's island of pilgrimage. The retreat was organised by Youth 2000 Ireland, who were welcomed to the island by the sanctuary's prior, Fr Owen McEneaney. More than 120 youngsters travelled from all parts of the country to spend the weekend in prayer…

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