Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown has said the Catholic faith needs to move away from an idea of “service delivery” and towards “community organisation,” in a recent interview with The Irish News. The bishop believes this is an opportunity for “renewal of the Church, not as a service-delivering body, but as a community organisation providing…
While Storm Chandra has moved on, its emotional and psychological impact continues to be felt by many older people, particularly those living alone, an advocate has warned. Tony Carroll, an author, befriender and nursing home advocate, said the storm brought a renewed sense of vulnerability for older people who may already struggle with isolation or…
As the Church marked the World Day of Consecrated Life – on the Feast of the Presentation – women religious across Ireland spoke of joy, hope and renewed purpose, challenging assumptions that vowed life has lost its relevance in modern society. For Sr Faustina, a member of the Poor Clares in Galway, consecrated life speaks…
Baroness Nuala O’Loan has warned that proposals to legalise assisted suicide risk redefining “care and compassion” as the facilitation of death, arguing instead that true compassion lies in providing proper care and support at the end of life. Speaking amid ongoing debates in Westminster, Scotland and the Isle of Man, the crossbench peer said the…
Northern Ireland Education Minister Paul Givan has announced a comprehensive response to the recent Supreme Court judgment on Religious Education and collective worship in Northern Ireland schools. The package includes a review to revise the Religious Education (RE) curriculum and the introduction of formal inspection of RE across all schools. There are no plans to…
Thousands of graduates who voted in previous Seanad elections have been removed from the voting register, and most people affected are unaware, said Independent Senator Rónán Mullen. Senator Mullen is calling on all Irish graduates to re-claim their right to vote on the www.seanadvoter.ie website, or by writing to SeanadVoter.ie at P.O. BOX 13784, Dublin 2. A new six-seat constituency,…
On Monday February 2, David Ryan became the first abuse survivor to have a private audience with Pope Leo alone, an experience that he said he will “never forget”. Prior to meeting Pope Leo, Mr Ryan outlined his plan for the meeting: he had questions for the pontiff and wanted to share both his story…
Bishop Niall Coll has returned to his home diocese of Raphoe with an appreciation for the distinctiveness of the Donegal experience and a call for lay participation. Sitting down with Greg Hughes for a Highland Radio podcast episode on January 27, Bishop Coll reflected on his journey from student in Maynooth, to priest, to bishop.…
An inside look into the Irish Pontifical College’s year-long formation programme An intriguing opportunity crossed my timeline recently, applications had opened for a year of formation in Rome at the Irish Pontifical College. Oriented toward young people. The list it promised was simple enough. Live in Rome. Study theology. Share life with other young people…
It was early autumn in 1987, when a Catholic couple, named Mary and Joseph, approached their Parish Priest in Belfast with a request – which, looking back, was clearly an inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The couple had been married on February 11, 1950, the Feast of our Lady of Lourdes, and wished to express…
Renata Steffens
Martina Purdy