The “Taoiseach…has just moved heaven and earth to try to reduce the constitutional protection now enjoyed by the unborn”, writes Michael Kelly The Government has given strong indications that it will hold a referendum on abortion next year. Truth be told, we’ve known for some time that politicians are minded to hold a referendum that…
Staff reporter Irish priests have welcomed Pope Francis’ decision to celebrate a Mass for modern martyrs while wearing the stole of a martyred former student of the Irish College in Rome. “I think it’s very significant,” Fr Gerard Magee, chaplain at Queen’s University Belfast, said of the Pope’s decision to wear Fr Ragheed Ganni’s stole…
Fr John Kenny of Partry parish, Co. Mayo promoting his second ‘Pedal Paddle Pilgrimage’ on May 20 to raise funds for Pieta House. It involves a cycle from Westport to Croagh Patrick, a climb to the summit for Mass and then paddling in Clew Bay at Murrisk Abbey followed by a party in Clew Bay…
Fr Johnny Doherty CSsR hands a Mission Cross to Brian Fitzsimons at a drive-thru mission stall outside the Church of St Nicholas Ardglass where the Redemptorist Fathers from Clonard Monastery are conducting a mission in the parish of Dunsford and Ardglass until Sunday, April 30. Looking on is parish priest, Fr Gerry McCloskey. Photo: Bill…
A Belfast church is set to open a soup kitchen service for the city’s homeless, in response to Pope Francis’ call to reach out to those in need with concrete acts of mercy. St Patrick’s Church in Donegall Street hosted a Mass of Hope for Belfast’s homeless community on Wednesday and will begin distributing food…
Last Sunday we had the familiar Gospel of Doubting Thomas. I’m always intrigued that the Gospel goes out of its way to refer to as “Thomas called the Twin”. Nowhere to my knowledge do we ever hear who Thomas’s other twin is. I wonder if that might be deliberate because it allows for a more…
James Norton, star of TV’s Grantchester, has criticised the trend of faith being portrayed negatively on television as “exorcisms and cults”. The actor, who plays crimebusting cleric Rev. Canon Sidney Chambers in the series which is about to begin its third run, said the “idea of faith isn’t really explored any more on television; now the only…
Fine Gael to push ahead on referendum The visit of Pope Francis for the World Meeting of Families is set to be overshadowed by the Government’s likely push for a referendum on abortion next year, senior Church sources have indicated to The Irish Catholic. Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar – the man tipped by many…
Bishop Fintan Monahan of Killaloe with his dog Barra, pictured after the bishop completed the Connemara International Marathon on Sunday, raising over €600 for Trócaire.
Limerick’s diocesan day of lay-led liturgies has been a big success, according to early reports. The morning of Tuesday, April 25, saw lay-led liturgies of the word in every Limerick parish, while diocesan clergy were away on in-service formation. “There were about 150 to 200 people in the cathedral,” Noirín Lynch of the Diocesan Pastoral…
Michael Kelly
Courtney McGrail
Mags Gargan
Greg Daly