Jason Osborne and Ruadhán Jones The focus on lay leadership in the Church of Legion of Mary founder Frank Duff has been hailed as “prophetic” as celebrations get underway to mark the centenary of the organisation. The Irish Catholic can also reveal that final preparations are now underway to progress the cause for canonisation of…
Month: September 2021
Lay parish admins on cards for Ferns says new bishop
The new bishop of Ferns has said he will be exploring a ‘parish administrator’ role for laity, which aims to alleviate some administrative burdens from clergy. Bishop Ger Nash, who was ordained on Sunday in the Cathedral of St Aidan, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, told The Irish Catholic that one of the reasons for creating the role…
New lectionary translation raises practical concerns
Last week, the Irish bishops’ conference announced that Ireland will have a new translation of the lectionary, the book from which Holy Scripture is proclaimed during the celebration of Mass. Following a public consultation that garnered around 220 responses, the bishops decided to replace the 1966 Jerusalem Bible translation with the 2019 Revised New Jerusalem…
Govt housing targets must be met to help most vulnerable says Depaul
Irish charity Depaul supported 554 people to find a home and exit their services which is an increase of 40% compared to 2019 despite the challenges raised by the pandemic, according to their 2020 annual report. CEO David Carroll told The Irish Catholic this week that the Government must reach its targets for social housing…
Female religious cause for joy across Ireland
A spate of activity on the female religious front has been warmly welcomed by sisters across Ireland, with new sister, Elizabeth, for the Knock Carmelites, a new postulant, Bindhu, for the Drumcondra Redemptoristines, and profession formation taking place with the Sister Disciples of the Divine Master in Ireland (PDDM). Speaking to The Irish Catholic newspaper,…
Archbishop Farrell praises ‘prophetic’ Legion of Mary founder on its 100th anniversary
Frank Duff was “a man ahead of his time”, the Archbishop of Dublin said September 3, as he celebrated Mass to mark 100 years since the Legion of Mary was founded. Legion’s first meeting In his homily in the church of St Nicholas of Myra on Francis Street, across the road from Myra house where…
Small farms vital for rural communities’ survival post-pandemic, says priest-farmer
The Government must stop “overlooking” small and family farms, or else risk compromising the survival of rural communities, a priest-farmer said. Fr Joseph McEvoy’s statement comes after Pope Francis called for governments to include small farms as “privileged actors” as we “restart” following the pandemic. Vital The Meath priest and smallholder farmer echoed the Pope’s…
New bishop of Ferns: ‘May your heart burn with joy and peace’
The new bishop of Ferns has said he will nurture a system of thinking about Church “which will recognise the reality of the world in which we live”, at his episcopal ordination on Sunday. Speaking after his September 5 ordination in the Cathedral of St Aidan in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, Bishop Nash (62) said he…
Pat Hume fondly remembered as peacemaker with a ‘pure heart’
“If John brought the brilliant mind to the peace-making then Pat brought the pure heart,” the funeral Mass of Pat Hume was told this week. Fr Paul Farren paid tribute to Mrs Hume both as a community activist and as a mother. The funeral of the 83-year-old former teacher was held in St Eugene’s Cathedral…
Irish missionary decries ‘depraved’ child-marriage laws in Philippines
Fr Shay Cullen SSC accused the Philippines’ House of Representatives of delaying a bill that would end the practice of “baby brides”. In the Southeast Asian country, the age of sexual consent is 12 years. The alleged delaying of the Girls not Brides Act of 2019, which would raise the age to 16, speaks of…


Chai Brady
Ruadhán Jones






