Pat O’Kelly November is a month of remembrance maybe made more poignant this year with the commemoration of the ending of World War I. Two concerts, tomorrow (November 9) in the National Concert Hall and on Saturday (November 10) in Dublin’s St Patrick’s Cathedral, will focus not only on the horrors of war but…
The Notebook What is a church for? Those buildings we go to Mass in Sunday after Sunday, what is their purpose? Are they for our use, to be disposed of when no longer necessary, or are we their servants, with the perpetual job of keeping them all in perfect trim, come what may? Do…
All Souls day is time to remember and hope – Pope The Mass for the feast of All Souls is “realistic, concrete” in calling Catholics to remember the people and events of their past, to consider how they live today and to hope for eternal life with God and their loved ones who preceded them, Pope Francis said. Celebrating an outdoor Mass on November 2,…
A Co. Offaly-born Jesuit has been honoured by the government of Zambia for his work in developing strategies for HIV prevention. President Edgar Lungu conferred the Order of Distinguished Service on 89-year-old Fr Michael Kelly SJ last week in the Zambian capital of Lusaka. Fr Kelly has worked for decades to educate people about the…
Brexit will have “dire consequences” across Ireland and could evoke “violent reaction” from those on border counties, the Bishop of Down and Connor has warned this week. Speaking to the German Catholic News Agency, KNA, Bishop Noel Treanor said: “As recently as 20 years ago, we still had the British army, armed checkpoints and police…
Courtney Grogan Pope Francis spoke of the need for creative entrepreneurship in the face of “scandalous poverty” today, stressing the importance of generosity with one’s possessions. “If there is hunger on earth, it is not because food is missing!” the Pontiff said in St Peter’s Square. “What is lacking is a free and far-sighted…
Saints are not just the well-known men, women and young people on the liturgical calendar, Pope Francis said on the feast of All Saints. They include simple people “from next door, our relatives and acquaintances who now are part of that ‘immense multitude’” in heaven, he said, which makes the November 1 feast of All…
Labour party leader Brendan Howlin has called on the Government to grant asylum to the Christian woman freed in Pakistan after eight years in solitary confinement accused of blasphemy. The Supreme Court in Pakistan announced on October 31 that Asia Bibi – who had been facing the death penalty – would be freed. However, she…
Pro-life TD Peadar Tóibín has defended his decision to vote against abortion despite being suspended from his Sinn Féin party over the issue and hinted he may run as an independent. Mr Tóibín was amongst a handful of Dáil deputies who voted against the Fine Gael legislation which permits abortion up to birth in certain…
Pope Francis’ visit to the Capuchin Day Centre on Dublin’s Church Street this summer was a special moment for Threshold, the homelessness prevention charity, according to Threshold CEO John-Mark McCafferty. “The papal visit – the fact that the Pope went to Brother Kevin’s place, a Capuchin just round the corner from here is absolutely key…
Greg Daly