Victoria Holthaus & Colm Fitzpatrick Past attendees of All Hallows seminary in Dublin returned to their beloved campus to celebrate their jubilee anniversaries last week. For most it has been 25, 30, 40 and even 60 years since they have been ordained but attendees still felt quite at home, as they came together to celebrate…
Niamh Uí Bhriain By any standards, Karen Gaffney is an extraordinary person. A long-distance swimmer who relay swam the English Channel, she is an impressive and witty public speaker whose TED talk on inclusion for people with disabilities has captured global attention. She is also the first living person with Down Syndrome to receive an…
Two new members were admitted as Dames of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre in Maynooth at the weekend. During a Mass presided over by Cardinal Seán Brady in the College Chapel, Veronica Holohan and Eleanor Hurl were invested as dames. With its roots in ancient times, members the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre…
Fatima centenary conference A conference to make the jubilee centenary of Our Lady of Fatima will be held from September 8-9 in the Drummond Hotel, Ballykelly, Co. Derry. Speakers include Fr John Walsh OP, Black Abbey; Prof. Fr Ailbe O’REilly ORC, Prof. of Theology in Newman College; Prof. William A. Thomas of the Pontifical Marian…
Prolonged drought in the city of Rome has caused Vatican officials to begin turning off 100 fountains as a heatwave hits Italy – this includes two baroque fountains in St Peter’s Square. Vatican spokesperson Greg Burke said that turning off the fountains was, “the Vatican’s way of living in solidarity with Rome, trying to help…
Following the decision of Charlie Gard’s parents to end the legal battle for their critically-ill child to be flown to the US, Catholic Bishops in the UK expressed their sympathy. For almost half a year the baby’s parents fought to have him transferred to the US to undergo specialist treatment. They decided not to continue,…
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops urged the Trump administration to “ensure permanent protection” for young people brought to the US as minors without legal documentation. Chair of the Migration Committee, Bishop Joe Vasquez of Texas, reiterated the bishops’ support for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a 2012 policy which gives recipients a…
US pro-life organisations have filed a federal lawsuit to halt the enforcement of a new law in Hawaii that requires pregnancy centres to “advertise” contraception and abortion services. Attorneys for Alliance Defending Freedom, a non-profit and pro-life legal group that supports religious freedom filed the suit. They acted on behalf of a centre called A…
Catholic women in Zambia have been described as the “heartbeat” of parishes by the President of the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops. Archbishop Mpundu thanked women for their active role in the Church, saying: “Women are the heartbeat of our parishes and the church in general, without them, the Church would be dead.” He spoke…
Pope Francis responds to nine-year-old’s pilgrimage invitation An Italian boy called Andrea invited the Pope to join him and other children on a “Pilgrimage of Joy” to the Marian Shrine of Loreto Italy. The nine-year-old was so moved by his experience that he asked the Pontiff to join him next year. Pope Francis replied: “Thanks…