Senator Eileen Flynn became the first member of the Traveller community to chair a session of Seanad Éireann on Monday, a move which has been welcomed by the parish of the Travelling People. Ms Flynn is the first member of the Traveller community to serve in the House of the Oireachtas. The parish is “very…
The iconic Knock novena set for August will not now go ahead, the second year it has been affected by Covid-19 restrictions. The event – which brings upwards of 150,000 people to the Co. Mayo shrine every year – had been due to take place from August 14-22. Fr Richard Gibbons, parish priest of Knock…
Singer Tolü Makay praised her Pentecostal church for facilitating “a space where I could grow my skill in singing” in a recent interview. Speaking to The Irish Examiner ahead of her virtual appearance at the West Cork Literary Festival, the 24-year-old told of how Gospel singing taught her how to connect with a song. “Music…
Families will be left in a “permanent limbo” if they are denied any way to discover the truth about loved ones who were killed during the Troubles, the bishop of Derry diocese has warned. Following indications that the British government could grant amnesty to all killings during the conflict, and the collapse of several high-profile…
Ruadhán Jones and Jason Osborne Bishops have expressed their disappointment and frustration with the ‘political’ decision to ban sacraments, despite assurances from State officials that places of worship continue to be safe. Bishop Kevin Doran of Elphin Diocese told The Irish Catholic that the announcement came “completely out of the blue” and that it has…
The principal of Cross and Passion College Ballycastle welcomed the “wonderful opportunity”, which will allow the secondary school to expand while maintaining its Catholic ethos. Planning permission has been granted for a shared campus between the Catholic school and Ballycastle High School, a local Church of Ireland school in the Co. Antrim town. Principal Paul…
There has been anger across the political spectrum in response to the cancellation of confirmations, communions and baptisms. Tánaiste Leo Varadkar revealed that the services were to be banned in response to a question during a press conference early last week. Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín TD stated that his office has been “inundated” with calls…
Hospital chaplains in the North have described the conferring of the George Cross to the NHS from Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II as “a great honour”. The George Cross was awarded to the NHS to mark decades of public service, Buckingham Palace announced on Monday. It is the highest award for gallantry and heroism in the…
Several young people were chased away from Clonard Monastery in Belfast by locals after they were said to be interfering with a statue and trying to dislodge a stone cross. Fr Peter Burns CSsR, Rector of Clonard Monastery, told The Irish Catholic that on Monday evening young people were “trying to interfere with” a statue…
Dr Gavin Ashenden, honorary chaplain to Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II from 2008 to 2017, was received into the Catholic Church in December 2019. He recently gave a talk to ‘The Keys’ (the Catholic Writers’ Guild of England and Wales) about his journey. At the Church of England synod of 2008, liberals ‘squeezed out conservatives’ from…
Ruadhán Jones
Chai Brady
Mary Kenny