A man who tried to walk through St Patrick’s Cathedral in midtown Manhattan close to 8pm local time on April 17 had gas cans, lighter fluid and igniters and claimed he was just cutting through the cathedral to get to Madison Avenue where he had left his car, which he said had run out of…
Experts confident that Cathedral of Notre Dame will rise again
Claire Giangravè Even as Holy Week unfolded, historians and experts in monument restoration weighed in on the implications and repercussions of the blaze that nearly destroyed the iconic Notre Dame cathedral in Paris on last week. Regardless of the time, money and resources needed to bring the church back to its splendour, they all shared…
Language must change on homosexuality, Cardinal Tobin urges
The Archbishop of Newark has said that the language used by the Catechism of the Catholic Church to describe homosexual acts is “very unfortunate”, adding that he hopes the Catechism will use different language in its discussion of homosexuality. “The Church, I think, is having its own conversation about what our faith has us do…
After Notre Dame fire, Easter season offers new life to everyone
What we saw on the streets of Paris was people giving witness to the power of hope over adversity, writes Bishop Larry Duffy Images are important. They tell us stories. They explain things to us in ways that words sometimes can’t. They also nudge us into reflecting more deeply about some of the great…
Obstacles to Church renewal must be overcome – bishop
Priests must get used to a more inclusive style of ministry, where they work alongside parishioners, Bishop Brendan Leahy has said. Speaking at the Diocese of Limerick’s annual Chrism Mass, Bishop Leahy said Pope Francis’ vision directly addresses the needs of the Irish Church. “One of Pope Francis’ goals is to establish the synodal Church,…
Looking to a future that is pro-life
Dublin will play host to a major pro-life gathering next month to mark the anniversary of last year’s referendum removing the right to life from the unborn. ‘Ireland – the future is pro-life: fighting to restore a culture of life’ will be held on Saturday, May 25 and will focus on how the pro-life community…
Rwanda’s bishops apologise for call to release genocide convicts
Rwanda’s Catholic bishops have apologised for urging the release of some prisoners convicted for roles in the 1994 genocide, saying they realised by the reaction that they had caused much hurt. The statement followed criticism of a pastoral letter that called for the release of old and ill convicts serving sentences for the mass killings.…
Let the games begin
Hannah Harn discusses the pitfalls and potential of Ireland’s video game industry When most people turn on their gaming console, they are looking for an hour or two of fun on the weekends. Now, some of the best players the gaming world has to offer are finding ways to turn a hobby into a…
Mayo abbey set to be pilgrim hub
A €3 million development at an 800-year-old abbey in Co. Mayo will serve as a hub for exploring the role of pilgrimages in Ireland and Europe’s Christian identity, according to the local parish priest. Fr Frank Fahey told The Irish Catholic that Mayo County Council’s support for building an interpretative centre at Ballintubber Abbey will…
Call for calm after Peruvian president suicide
The president of Peru’s conference of bishops has called for calm after two-time former Peruvian President Alan Garcia died on April 17 after shooting himself in the head as authorities prepared to arrest him. “A sad end for this person, who was also important, independently from political and financial situations,” Archbishop Miguel Cabrejos Vidarte of…










