Liverpool’s Alisson Becker dedicated his recent goal versus West Brom to his late father, who drowned near his home in Brazil in February, saying “I’m sure he was seeing, with God at his side, celebrating”. The Brazilian goalkeeper displays great faith in God, regularly tweeting scriptural passages to his 1.2 million followers, his account reading…
Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Jan Tyrawa of Bydgoszcz, the latest bishop accused of covering up sexual abuse by clergy. The bishops’ conference said the Vatican had “conducted proceedings on reported negligence” in line with the Pontiff’s May 2019 motu proprio, Vos estis lux mundi, and had also taken account of “other…
Ahead of an audience with Pope Francis last Wednesday, Germany’s foreign minister welcomed a day of same-sex blessings held in defiance of the Vatican. Speaking before he met with the Pope on May 12, Heiko Maas backed the blessing ceremonies held in around 80 German cities on Monday in protest at the Vatican’s “no” to…
Throughout history and across the globe, lay catechists have been revered as saints, and many were martyred for their refusal to renounce their faith and their vocation to teach the Christian faith to others. Formally instituting “the ministry of catechist” with a document published May 11, Pope Francis praised “the countless lay men and women…
Unintended Consequences: The story of Irish Immigration to the US and how America’s door was closed to the Irish by Ray O’Hanlon (Merrion Press, €19.95) Joe Carroll For over 150 years the Irish crossed the Atlantic to make a new life in the United States and nobody shouted ‘stop’. Then in 1965 the open door narrowed…
The Sunday Gospel Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap. May I begin by wishing us all a very happy birthday. It is the birthday of the Church, the day when the coming of the Holy Spirit utterly transformed the apostles from being fearful and directionless into a community empowered to carry on the mission of Jesus.…
Dear Editor, Recent statements by politicians regarding Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) are very revealing. In effect they are demanding that the Government devise a RSE programme which would be imposed on all schools, irrespective of the school’s values and ethos. I wonder how they would feel if the same logic were applied to politics, i.e.,…
Jesuits prepare to celebrate Ignatian Year The roughly 15,000 members of the Society of Jesus, their collaborators and many people who draw on the spiritual heritage left by St Ignatius of Loyola are preparing to mark a special Ignatian Year beginning May 20 and lasting until the saint’s feast day, July 31, 2022. Anticipating the…
Ennistymon Púca statue sidelined after criticism Plans to erect a púca statue in the Clare town of Ennistymon have been put on hold following criticism from local people, who described it as “grotesque and scary”. Clare County Council had proposed placing the six foot tall piece on a plinth at the end of Lower Church…
Everyone who has an interest in a peaceful transition to a more democratic Ireland ought to engage on unity, writes Fr Joe McVeigh Martin Mansergh, in his recent column in The Irish Catholic, argues that this is not the time to be talking about a border poll. I totally disagree with him. The Belfast/Good Friday agreement…