Bishop Rolando Álvarez of Matagalpa has been released from prison and sent into exile along with 18 imprisoned churchmen as the Nicaraguan government expelled its most prominent critic, whose presence behind bars bore witness to the Sandinista regime’s descent into totalitarianism, along with its unrelenting persecution of the Catholic Church. Vatican News confirmed on January 14 at…
Bro. Luke McNamara OSB On the eve of the Epiphany in brilliant sunshine that seemed to promise better days are coming, a large group of volunteers, in a quarter of an acre plot in a field just South East of the Front Gate, planted 2,500 native Irish trees. The density of planting follows the Akire…
Penelope Middelboe I fear for Pope Francis’s health. I wrote him a personal letter posted on 7 December, but it hasn’t left the UK yet according to the tracking number. I fear for his health because the last time I wrote personally to a pope was in May 1963 when I was six years old.…
Ireland gave a warm welcome to China’s second-in-command this week, Premier Li-Qiang, in what was the first visit of a high-ranking Chinese official since Mr Li’s predecessor, Li-Keqiang’s 2015 visit. It isn’t a stretch to say that on this occasion, the red-carpet was rolled out ahead of Mr Li’s visit, with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar saying…
Deacon Greg Kandra Jon 3:1-5, 10 Ps 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 1 Cor 7:29-31 Mk 1:14-20 Do you hear it? Jonah did. So did the brothers Simon and Andrew, and then James and John. It’s the insistent invitation to drop everything, change direction and follow where God is leading. It can take you where you don’t…
Amid an unprecedented wave of violence in Ecuador, the South American country’s bishops’ conference issued a statement asking the people to unite against the disturbance caused by criminal gangs, whose operations were defined as acts of “treason against the nation”. The incidents began after José Adolfo Macías Villamar, the leader of the criminal gang Los…
Kerry diocese keeps ‘hope alive’ with mission The diocese of Kerry has launched its online mission, ‘Hope Alive!’, from January 21 to 24. Well-known humanitarian Adi Roche headlines the mission and will reflect on what it means to welcome the stranger on Sunday, January 21, at 8pm. Guest speakers include Fr Michael Conway, Dr Keith…
Funerals that celebrate the life of notorious criminals are “particularly hurtful” to parishioners who see their church “taken over by those who prey on the community”, according to a Dublin-based priest. Fr Joe Keegan CC in Cabra West has called for Irish bishops to take a harder stance on what is permitted at funerals as…
The liturgical calendar is a spiritually transformative tool of the Church, writes Chene Heady The liturgical calendar is omnipresent in Catholic life. Many parish bulletins list the liturgical days of the week and corresponding Scripture readings. In December, tables in the narthex may be piled high with free calendars that identify the principal feasts of…
The number of unaccompanied minors in ‘Special Emergency Accommodation’ has more than doubled in the past four months, according to statistics released by Tusla to the Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín TD. Previous replies to parliamentary questions from the Meath West TD showed a steady increase in the number of unaccompanied children seeking international protection who are ending…