Prayer is more than just a physical, emotional or intellectual act; it is an inner desire to encounter God, Pope Francis has said. Continuing his new series of talks on prayer during his weekly general audience today (May 13), the Pope said that the longing expressed through prayer “is more than a need, more than…
Archbishop Eamon Martin has said he believes that people are growing closer to God during the coronavirus pandemic. In his Sunday homily, the Primate of All-Ireland also said that parishes were working on roadmaps to return to public Masses as soon as it is safe to do so. Archbishop Eamon said that he is “sure…
The Vatican has given approval to the Religious Sisters of Charity to gift the State lands valued at some €200 million. The move is likely to prove controversial since the land will house the new National Maternity Hospital where unborn babies will be aborted. Moral theologians have previously raised alarm bells about the nuns’ plans…
Editorial Comment It is almost two months since most Irish Catholics have been able to attend Mass. This is an unprecedented situation even in a land where the public worship of God by Catholics was forbidden and punishable by death. Churches in the North remain closed by order of the civil authorities, while according…
A student who lost his job last month is now delivering food to families in need six days a week on his bike. Oscar Little (21) volunteers his services to the Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin, where he drops food to hostels for the homeless and families isolating in their homes. “My mum is the…
The Archdiocese of Armagh has begun a ‘virtual pilgrimage’ to Lourdes today to reach out to the 550 of pilgrims due to travel there this week but due to the coronavirus pandemic the pilgrimage was cancelled. Organisers have instead decided to conduct it virtually using social media channels. This will be available to watch through…
A Dublin priest who has been offering ‘carpark Confessions’ has said there has been a great response with dozens of people coming to receive the Sacrament. Fr Pat McKinley of Springfield/Brookfield/Jobstown parish, who is the Vicar Forane over Tallaght Deanery, has been offering Confessions in the car park of St Mark’s church with another priest…
Is the coronavirus ‘God’s judgement’ to punish humanity for the errors of its ways? Surely not, and Bishop Brendan Leahy of Limerick is quite right to describe such ideas as a form of blasphemy. Pope Francis had previously given the lead in dismissing any such notion that the virus is some kind of Old Testament…
Religious leaders of different faiths and inter-religious organisations in the Indian state of Andra Pradesh have united and tightened a collaboration agreement to help contain the spread of Covid-19. In a joint declaration, the groups say they “want to play a constructive role for the common good by uniting people of all faiths”. Christian, Hindu,…
Social justice campaigner Sr Stanislaus Kennedy has said it is “incredibly distressing” to learn of an increase in racist incidents across Ireland this year. The Irish Network Against Racism (INAR) has just released figures on racist incident reporting on hate speech, hate crime and discriminatory acts in the first quarter of 2020. Their statistics for…
Michael Kelly
Chai Brady
Mary Kenny