Social media continues to be one of the greatest challenges facing young people today, a Co. Clare GAA star and Catholic school teacher has warned. Senior footballer Gary Brennan, who retired from Clare duty after the end of the 2020 season, told The Irish Catholic that the pressures created by online platforms are having a profound impact on mental…
Month: January 2025
Dublin celebrates ‘paper-thin’ idea of pagan goddess Brigit
A Dominican scholar has questioned the “erasure” of St Brigid in favour of a pagan deity “who might never even have been venerated in Ireland” by Dublin City Council (DCC). DCC are currently promoting a city-wide celebration of “women past and present inspired by the Celtic goddess Brigit”, from Friday January 31 – February 3.…
Jesuit homeless activist slams continued Govt housing failures
The last government’s failure to meet its housing targets, represented in a 6.7% decrease in housing delivery in 2024, is “a massive housing failure” according to a leading Jesuit homeless activist, who said that he has “no confidence” in the new Government because of its lack of “radical action” when it comes to tackling the…
‘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,…
The drama of the separation of faith and reason
With the rise of the first universities, theology came more directly into contact with other forms of learning and scientific research. Although they insisted upon the organic link between theology and philosophy, St Albert the Great and St Thomas were the first to recognise the autonomy which philosophy and the sciences needed if they were…
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,…