Bishop Denis Brennan has urged massgoers to invite a family member or friend to return to Church during the Year of Mercy. In his pastoral letter for the Jubilee Year, the Bishop of Ferns set out a number of suggestions as to how the faithful could best mark the jubilee in their diocese. The bishop’s…
The Church teaches that Penance can take place in the framework of a communal celebration, writes Cathal Barry Like all the sacraments, according to the Church, Penance is a liturgical action. The elements of the celebration, the Catechism of the Catholic Church says, are ordinarily these: A greeting and blessing from the priest, reading the…
The Irish bishops are currently investigating the possibility of developing their own Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) programme for use in Catholic schools amid concerns about what is currently being taught in those schools, The Irish Catholic understands. Bishop Kevin Doran told this newspaper he is “anxious” that an RSE programme in keeping with Church…
Govt accused of reneging on deal with faith schools A senior Church official has accused politicians of hypocrisy over their criticism of Catholic schools. Fr Tom Deenihan also hit out at successive Governments for reneging on a 1997 deal that would guarantee the ethos of faith schools in return for the Church having fewer representatives…
Faith and sport are “intertwined” to the extent that they are the “matrix” for strong parish communities, a leading physical therapist has claimed. Gerard Hartmann, who has treated some of the world’s most elite sport stars, made the remarks at a diocesan-run sports conference in Limerick. “Where we see strong communities you typically see faith…
Remarks by Pope Francis that Catholic women with Zika virus might be able to use contraception do not change Church teaching, a leading moral theologian has said. Zika virus has been linked by some to birth defects in babies, especially microcephaly which causes them to be born with abnormally small heads, but the link has…
The Church teaches that reconciliation with God is the purpose and effect of the sacrament, writes Cathal Barry The whole power of the Sacrament of Penance, according to the Church, consists in restoring the faithful to God’s grace and joining us with him in an intimate friendship. Reconciliation with God, the Church teaches, is thus…
A number of dioceses have warned that the proposed new curriculum on religion and beliefs may be “difficult” to implement in faith schools. The Archdiocese of Cashel & Emly, along with the Dioceses of Kerry, Killaloe and Limerick have issued a joint call for submissions to the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) on…
A shift in practice seems to be occurring across the country, reports Cathal Barry Removals have been an integral part of the grieving process for bereaved Irish families down the years. However, it appears than an increasing number of families are opting to shun the practice, preferring instead for their deceased loved ones to be…
The Church teaches that the forgiveness of sins brings reconciliation, writes Cathal Barry The Church teaches that since Christ entrusted to his apostles the ministry of Reconciliation, bishops who are their successors, and priests, the bishops’ collaborators, “continue to exercise this ministry”. “Indeed bishops and priests, by virtue of the Sacrament of Holy Orders, have…