Month: January 2025

‘We should sing like the Brazilians’

The chaplain to the Brazilian community in Cork, Polish priest Bernard Morawski OFMCap said the Brazilian Catholics should be an inspiration to the Irish. Working with that community for the past two years in the Holy Trinity Church, Cork, Fr Morawski said that it’s an inspiration to see so many young people in the church,…

New app is beacon for Catholic

A group of Catholics in Dublin have created a Catholic events app called ‘Beacon’, with the purpose of ensuring that “everyone in Ireland is aware of the event and/or community that God is calling them to.” Speaking to The Irish Catholic Ciarán Heelan, app co-founder explained that “Every single person who downloads the app has…

I once was lost, but now I am found

I grew up in a Catholic family in Sligo, but it wasn’t a faith-filled environment. We went to Mass only for special occasions like funerals, baptisms, and confirmations. I received my sacraments, but they didn’t feel connected to God. It was more like a formality, and the deeper aspects of the faith – who God…

My favourite prophet: Jonah the depressed

As a boy, my favourite Old Testament heroes were the prophets Elijah and Jonah. Elijah’s story is like the ‘Die Hard’ of the Old Testament – instead of John McClane single handedly taking out a building full of terrorists, it’s Elijah singlehandedly overcoming the evil King Ahab and the 450 priests of the demon Baal,…

Meditations on the interior life

The secret of renewal Lord, I see, in my life, that You refresh me each day, but I must also make the effort, I must be open to You in prayer and not lazy. You have mercy, so many times. You forgive so much. You are a faithful Friend to all who approach You, a…

What is a consecrated virgin?

What does it mean to be a consecrated virgin? What are the rights and duties of the designation? And what is the process of becoming a “consecrated virgin”? A: The Code of Canon Law defines consecrated virgins as chaste and never-married women who “through their pledge to follow Christ more closely… are consecrated to God,…