Irish Catholic charities providing essential relief on the frontlines during Covid-19 received a “significant donation” of €500,000 from the The Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation (AGCF). Bishop Dermot Farrell, Chair of the Council for Finance and General Purposes of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference, expressed “deep gratitude and indebtedness” for AGCF’s “magnanimous donation”. “The Albert Gubay…
We cannot continue to see the planet and its resources as things for us to use as we wish writes Fr Hugh O’Donnell SDB Twenty years ago, in response to our ‘disfigurement’ of the earth, Pope John Paul talked of humans standing at the edge of an abyss. The only way we can avoid going…
Sudanese people can now “worship and practice their various religious beliefs without fear”, said the general secretary of the Sudanese bishops’ conference. The official, Fr Peter Suleiman, welcomed Sudan’s decision to separate religion and state. In early September, Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and Abdel al-Hilu, leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North rebel group, signed…
Good Samaritan letter reiterates condemnation of assisted suicide and euthanasia On Tuesday, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith announced the publication of a letter approved by Pope Francis on June 25 and entitled ‘Samaritanus bonus (The Good Samaritan): On the Care of Persons in the Critical and Terminal Phases of Life’. It bears…
Fifteen volunteer catechists were commissioned for service in the Diocese of Elphin by Bishop Kevin Doran at Mass in Sligo Cathedral over the weekend. Known as ‘Partners in the Gospel’, the catechists are lay parishioners from parishes across the diocese who have completed a four-year formation programme, including academic studies in Theology and Catechetics at…
St John Paul II relic stolen in Italian church robberies A relic of St Pope John Paul II has been stolen from a cathedral in central Italy, while a church in Sicily was also robbed and the Eucharist desecrated. A gold reliquary with a relic of the blood of St John Paul II was discovered…
The Sunday Gospel Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap. “Let me sing to my friend the song of his love for his vineyard.” These are the opening words of today’s first reading from Isaiah. However, it turns out to be a sad song about a neglected vineyard that produced sour wine. The Responsorial Psalm identifies the…
Protecting and Empowering Children in an Online World One of CyberSafe Ireland’s most popular sessions, this talk is aimed at parents of children from 8-13 years old which offers a general overview to raise awareness of the main factors to consider around social media, gaming and the online world. The aim is not to scare…
Former apostolic nuncio to Ireland, US Archbishop Charles Brown [pictured], has been appointed as the new apostolic nuncio to the Philippines. The Pope transferred Archbishop Brown from his current role as apostolic nuncio to Albania, to head the Vatican’s diplomatic mission to the Philippines in Manila. The post in the Philippines has been vacant since…
Dear Editor, I was very saddened to learn that there will be no public Masses for the next three weeks. As a daily communicant, I was upset to hear that I, along with many other practising Catholics, will not be able to receive the Holy Eucharist for a minimum of three weeks. The Eucharist is…