A week-long conference in Kilkenny, underlined how “distinct and unique” Catholic education is in Ireland, at a time when it is frequently under the spotlight. The joint initiative of St Kieran’s College and the University of Notre Dame Australia (UNDA) brought together education leaders and teachers for a conference on ‘International Perspectives on Forming Catechesis/…
Far from being a guilt trip, Confession is a transformative process that unites us with God writes Darach Ó Maoláin I remember on one occasion I had a small-scale debate with some locals of my generation. The debate revolved around the Church and its teachings. Naturally, I defended the Church. My counterparts were vocally disregarding…
Silvio Cuéllar The air is now filled with Christmas music, special offers and sales. This materialistic culture invites us to buy and buy the latest, newest thing. However, this Advent season can also be a time to share our time, talents, and treasure with others. Helping the poor In his recent homily for the World…
Belfast’s Catholic community will be gathering bright and early to celebrate ‘Misa de Gallo’ or the ‘Rooster Mass’, with St Vincent De Paul parish priest in Ligoniel, Fr Vincent Cushnahan describing it as a “beautiful” Filipino tradition illuminating the Church in Ireland. “In the Philippines there’s an old tradition whereby families would gather the nine…
The ministry of catechist is important for evangelising modern Ireland, writes Bishop Kevin Doran As Christians, we have been invited into an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. That invitation is not just for us. We have a gift to share; we have a story to tell. But how do we go about sharing the good…
There were scenes of jubilation and delight at Dublin’s Mercy College in Coolock with past pupils and former staff from the last 60 years coming together to mark the six decades since the school was established. Displays of photos over the past 60 years were on show. Dr Patricia Dwyer, principal since 2003, thanked current…
Fr Patrick Briscoe OP “Human beings possess a great and readily observable weakness for which they need much support and comfort,” says the Italian priest philosopher Luigi Giussani. “They have an endemic fear engendered by a temptation to reduce the total image of their lives to what can be visibly and materially experienced.” How we…
‘Clear signs of hope’ in vocations crisis The 36 men who attended a vocations weekend in Maynooth are a “clear sign of hope” during Ireland’s vocations crisis, Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan has said. Speaking at a panel discussion in Queen’s University Belfast, Bishop Cullinan said that “the level of interest meant that the event was oversubscribed”.…
Jenna Marie Cooper Q: Why do Catholics pray for the souls in purgatory to lessen their sufferings? Is it possible that the souls already in purgatory would even go to hell, so our prayers for them would save them from going to hell? A: We don’t pray that souls in purgatory won’t wind up in…
A deadly bomb that exploded during a Mass December 3 killed at least four people and injured dozens at a university in a predominantly Muslim city in southern Philippines. Media reports that the explosion caused panic among dozens of students and teachers in a gymnasium where Mass was taking place, at Mindanao State University in…