A new evangelisation project that will aim to help parishes with adult faith formation is appealing for committed catechists to get involved. Faith on Fire plans to gather and support a team of people already experienced in faith development, whether in a school, parish or other context. According to Petra Conroy, the new initiative’s director…
There used to be an equestrian statue of William of Orange on Dublin’s College Green. It was ‘alternately daubed, mutilated and garlanded with orange lilies’, according to Christine Casey’s brilliant architectural study of Dublin. It survived several explosions, but finally succumbed to dynamite in 1929. King Billy’s effigy, like that of the Bristol slave-trader Edward…
The organisers of an open-air Mass set for the feast of Corpus Christi have decided to call the event off after the Government announced a speedier than expected return to public Masses. Marian Pilgrimages – who have been offering virtual pilgrim experiences since the lockdown began – had planned the event for Leopardstown Racecourse on…
The Bishop of Derry diocese has extended condolences after the death of Bishop Francis Lagan, who served as an auxiliary bishop of the diocese from 1988-2010, saying he was a “gentle pastor” and “caring brother priest”. Bishop Lagan died early on Monday morning. He was born in Maghera and was ordained a priest in 1960 in Maynooth. Bishop Donal McKeown said: “Bishop Lagan had…
An increasing number of Catholic grammar schools in the North are abandoning controversial transfer tests to select pupils for 2021. It comes after Primate of Al-Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin pleaded for the tests to be set aside. The 11-plus exams were formally abolished in 2008. However, some schools that wanted to continue to select children…
Catholics in China are concerned about a directive from the country’s Communist government asking priests to “preach on patriotism” as a condition for reopening liturgical services. The Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA) and the Chinese Catholic educational administration committee of Zhejiang province jointly issued a notice on the resumption of activities. “Religious places that meet…
The lockdown has caused huge damage and it’s simplistic to look at it only in terms of lives saved writes David Quinn Public worship in Ireland is now due to return on June 29, not July 20, as originally planned. It’s still one of the latest dates in Europe even though our outbreak was not…
Dublin-based composer Bernard Sexton has written a new religious song of comfort for the victims of Covid-19. The song entitled ‘God Will Wipe Away All Tears’ is based on sacred texts from the Bible, sung by a virtual choir and an MP3 file and sheet music has been made free to download. “The initial idea…
The Bishop of Derry says the biggest challenge facing the Church in the immediate aftermath of Covid-19 will be “rebuilding” its communities. In his homily on Trinity Sunday, Bishop Donal McKeown said the Faithful’s sense of belonging has either “vanished” or is being “lived in virtual form” during the pandemic. He remained hopeful that “community…
We can do a lot to maintain a healthy heart writes Chai Brady Many people are not seeing their family doctor as regularly as normal due to Covid-19. Most general practitioners are offering consultation via telephone or over the internet and people who are on regular medication are continuing to prescribe this. There have…
Mary Kenny
Chai Brady
David Quinn