The Notebook Fr Bernard Healy During the past 10 years of parish ministry, I’ve often been asked how priests deal with the sheer variety of our work. There are days when you have to go from a funeral to a baptism, or from a wedding reception to a deathbed. At all times the priest…
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that religion will continue to play an important role in Irish society in the future. In a carefully-worded speech to welcome the Pope to Dublin Castle, Mr Varadkar also said he hoped that the Pope would soon be able to cross the border and make a visit to the North.…
WMOF 2018 Garda are advising all motorists and commuters travelling in the area of the Phoenix Park on Monday 27, the day after the papal Mass, to be aware of traffic restrictions. As there will be a greater amount of people around the city, they have asked everyone to plan their journey and leave…
Cardinal Vincent Nichols spoke to WMOF pilgrims today about the importance of marriage preparation and support, explaining that the sacrament is an ongoing journey into God’s presence.
The Pope in Ireland The long-anticipated moment has arrived. Ever since Pope Francis chose Ireland three years ago to play host to the international World Meeting of Families gathering, he was determined to set foot on Irish soil. “I will come – if I don’t come, my successor will come,” he said. Pope Francis…
The Pope in Ireland After five years has Francis lived up to Irish expectations? Fr Alan Hillard “No papacy is perfect”, says Fr Alan Hilliard, a Dublin-based priest and strong advocate of migrant’s rights, but in the five years that Francis has been Pope, he has exceeded expectations. Referencing the author Austen Ivereigh, Fr…
An Astonishing Secret: The Love Story of Creation and the Wonder of You by Daniel O’Leary (Columba Press, €14.99) Anthony Redmond Fr Daniel O’Leary is a well-known Irish priest, author and speaker living in England. I have read a number of his books. He is a superb writer, deeply moving, inspirational and lyrical. In his latest…
We all have a “civic responsibility and mission” to support and encourage the family, especially during challenging situations, Down and Connor’s bishop has said. Visiting the ‘Families Matter’ programme at Maghaberry Prison which is run by the prison and Barnardo’s NI to support fathers who are in custody on August 19, Bishop Noel Treanor said:…
Traditional Catholics welcomed for Knock pilgrimage The National Traditional Pilgrimage, set up under the auspices of the Archbishop of Tuam in 2002, will kick off on September 1 this year. In establishing this, Archbishop Neary expressed the wish that all traditional Catholics in good standing with an attachment to the older liturgical norms, now termed ‘The Extraordinary Form’ would be…
Dear Editor, I’m sure most people by now have heard about the Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report which details the widespread sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. The content of the document is horrific and shows just how deep the Church is entrenched in this crisis. This wasn’t the action of fringe or isolated clerics, but…