Pope Francis is in “good general condition, alert and breathing spontaneously,” after undergoing colon surgery at the weekend the Vatican has confirmed. “The surgery for diverticular stenosis performed the evening of July 4 involved a left hemicolectomy and lasted about three hours,” a statement from the Holy See Press Office said. “A stay of about…
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…
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…
Following in the footsteps of St Patrick is an ideal way to find peace and solace, writes Martina Purdy When I left the convent after five years, I left behind a life rich in silence, and was warned by a friend to be careful in a world that had become extremely busy. “It’s the age…
More churches across Canada have been destroyed or damaged by fires that police are describing as suspicious or suspected arson. Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Morinville, Alberta, investigated a fire at St Jean Baptiste Church, a 100-year-old building that went up in flames early June 30. The fire in Morinville, about 20 miles north of…
It was a busy weekend on the Reek, Fr Charlie McDonnell of Westport Parish said, as Masses and Confessions were available for pilgrims for the first time in two years. Fr McDonnell said it was “heartening” to be able to provide religious facilities for people doing the pilgrimage. “Normally we’d only have one day to…
The numbers of women from the North choosing to terminate their pregnancies has dramatically increased since the procedure was made legal last year. As of June 11, the Department of Health had received 1,624 notifications of abortions, despite the lack of a full and formal commissioning of the procedure in the region. A further 371…
Across Ireland there were up to 55 local ‘Rallies for Life’ on July 3, in which pro-lifers urged the public and TDs to rethink abortion legislation in view of the impact of abortion. The local rallies took place in lieu of the national pro-life march due to the pandemic. Organisers have said that the events are important…
Catholic campaigners have demanded action to curb growing online pornography and child abuse in the European Union, as the bloc’s Catholic bishops welcomed new legislative proposals but also urged tighter controls. “Internet access and digitisation have greatly increased during the coronavirus pandemic, and we’re deeply concerned about the effects on children of harassment, abuse and…
Following the sudden collapse of a multi-storey building with people trapped inside, many Catholics around South Florida have fled to a common refuge: the comforting presence of Mary. So it was that several schools in the Miami Archdiocese reacted to the June 24 fall of the Champlain Towers South condo in Surfside by praying the…