Fear of clericalism must not be a reason for any reticence in promoting vocations to the diocesan priesthood, writes Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan In the synodal conversations which were held around the country in preparation for the Synod on Synodality in the Autumn of 2024, no mention was recorded of the need to promote vocations to…
Dear Editor, Regarding the front-page article by Chai Brady and Jason Osborne [The Irish Catholic – February 9, 2023] where parishes warn of Dublin City’s menacing decline: This wonderful article gave us a chilling reminder of just how close we have become to total anarchy. Of course, this decline of law and order is not…
Evangelium announces ‘joyful’ conference Evangelium’s annual conference on evangelisation for young adults promises a “joyful Christian environment” when it takes place on Saturday, March 25. The conference offers a “stepping stone for those seeking a deeper understanding of their faith”, said Evangelium spiritual director Fr Damien Lynch. “We’re meeting a need that young Catholics feel…
A fellow of the Royal Historical Society has said that the State was responsible for most of the institutions covered by the Mother and Baby Institutions Redress Bill and that the State “will ultimately bear the fiscal liability”. Writing in The Irish Times on Monday, Michael Dwyer said that although some politicians and advocacy groups…
A bill currently passing through the Oireachtas which could make it easier for Irish prisoners abroad to serve their sentences at home has been cautiously welcomed by the Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas (ICPO). Irish bishops The ICPO, which was established by the Irish bishops, noted the long wait times for prisoners applying to serve…
Isolating Syria from the international community through sanctions “benefits no one” and complicates relief efforts to the millions left homeless after earthquakes devasted the country, said a top Vatican official who visited Turkey and Syria. “We are still in the middle of this tragedy because it is not certain that the tremors are over,” said…
Both Christians and Muslims fast, pray and give alms. Can we learn anything from one another, asks Fr Michael Barnes SJ At this moment of the Church’s year, as Christians begin the long period of Lent, my thoughts always turn to Muslim friends and to various conversations which I have enjoyed on the subject of…
A Catholic prayer app soared to the number three spot on the Apple App Store on Ash Wednesday, overtaking the usual top dogs TikTok, Google, Netflix, Spotify and Instagram. First launched in 2018, ‘Hallow’ has managed millions of downloads and reached around 150 countries. Last year, the app surpassed 100 million prayers completed through the service. Hallow…
The Society of Jesus said it will open a new internal procedure on Jesuit Fr Marko Rupnik after receiving abuse accusations with a “very high” degree of credibility against the artist. According to a February 21 statement on the Jesuit website, the accusations the religious order received span from 1985 to 2018 and include claims…
Following a devastating arson attack on a historic church in Germany — and several prior incidents in Paris, France — a European watchdog has raised concerns over hate crimes targeting Christian churches on the continent. The 1,000-year-old Church of the Elevation of the Cross in Wissen, a community in the Westerwald region, was severely damaged…