Courtney McGrailThis year marks the centenary of the appearance at Fatima, Portugal of Our Lady to the three children, Blessed Jacinta and Blessed Francisco Marto and their cousin Sister Lucia Santos from May 13 to October 13, 1917. In celebration of this event, all are invited to Holy Mass in the church of Saint John the…
Month: February 2017
Galway church’s ‘drive-thru’ Ash Wednesday service
Paul Keenan
A Co. Galway church will ‘move to the pace of modern life’ this Lent with a ‘drive-thru’ Ash Wednesday service and Lenten Petition box. Following discussions between PP Fr Paddy Mooney and the pastoral council of Glenamady church on how best to prepare for the Lenten season, it was recognised that something of a novel…
US bishops back conscience defence Bill for doctors
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has insisted that a conscience protection Bill currently before Congress is vital in protecting medical professionals from being compelled to carry out abortions. In a letter to lawmakers, Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, chair of the bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, and Archbishop William Lori, chair of…
Bishops unhappy with speed of Vatican trials for alleged abusers
Greg Daly
Delays in how the Vatican tackles cases of priests accused of abuse continue to be a concern for Irish bishops, a spokesman for the hierarchy has confirmed. Addressing Australia’s royal commission into the institutional handling of abuse allegations earlier this month, Teresa Devlin, CEO of the Irish Church’s safeguarding board, said she believed that Ireland’s…
College champs give thanks in Knock
Mags Gargan
The winning team from St Mary’s University College, Belfast “gave thanks” at Knock Shrine after defying the odds in an incredible ‘David and Goliath’ football final. St Mary’s is the North’s only Catholic institution of higher education and with just over 1,000 students and less than a quarter of them male, the underdogs unseated the…
Shining a light on ordinary parish life
Bro. Conor McDonough Picture the scene: a mid-20th-Century crowd of Irish emigrants in a newsagent’s after Mass. They all rush to buy the ‘Irish papers’ to find out what the important people in Dublin are doing and how the metropolis views the provinces. Then in walks a Monaghan eccentric. He has notions, so maybe he’s…
News in Brief
IC columnist named 'Distinguished Professor’ Columnist with The Irish Catholic, Michael W. Higgins has been named Distinguished Professor of Catholic Thought at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut, USA. Prof. Higgins previously served as vice president for Mission and Catholic Identity and Professor of Religious Studies at the University. In his new role, Mr Higgins will…
Iraqi Muslims repair Christian church
It has been reported that Muslims in the frontline Iraqi city of Mosul have prepared the Virgin Mary Chaldean church for the benefit of Christian families returning after the left-bank of the coty was liberated from the grip of so-called Islamic State (ISIS). Having served as a logistical base for the terror group during its…
The President and the Cardinal
President Michael D. Higgins meeting with Cardinal Jaime Ortega during his offi cial visit to Cuba last week. President Higgins told The Irish Catholic he was “delighted” to meet with the cardinal and they had “an hour long discussion on current events, local, regional and global”. Cardinal Ortega was Archbishop of Havana for 35 years…
Faith in an age of authenticity
Divine Mercy Conference organiser Don Devaney tells Greg Daly about bringing God’s mercy into the world “The reason for this year’s conference is that we’re encouraging people to be apostles of mercy,” says Don Devaney of Ireland’s 26th Divine Mercy Conference, held in Dublin’s RDS this weekend. “The theme for this year is ‘Have mercy…