As the debate about religious instruction in schools heats up a theologian and former teacher has said that providing alternate tuition will be “a source of frustration” for Catholic schools. Education Minister Richard Bruton and about 275 State-run secondary schools in the Education and Training Board sector are currently at a stand-off as the department…
WMOF 2018 The country celebrates Thousands of families gathered as the sound of church bells filled the air on the evening of August 21 as people attended events marking the beginning of the World Meeting of Families this year. All 26 of Ireland’s dioceses simultaneously celebrated the opening ceremony – with the lead ceremony…
WMOF 2018 For the hundreds of speakers and thousands of pilgrims who attended the World Meeting of Families Pastoral Congress in the RDS last week, it was a roaring success. People from 116 countries arrived in Dublin for the congress which ran from August 22-24 with 37,000 attendees throughout the three days. There was…
The Pope in Ireland Visiting the Marian Shrine Praying for the victims of abuse in Ireland, Pope Francis begged the Lord for forgiveness and for the intercession of Our Lady to heal survivors. During his visit to the Marian Shrine in Knock the Pope described the clerical abuse scandals in Ireland as an “open…
Praying for the victims of abuse in Ireland, Pope Francis has begged the Lord for forgiveness and for the intercession of Our Lady to heal survivors. During his visit to Knock the Pope described the clerical abuse scandals in Ireland as an “open wound”, while praying at the Shrine in front of an audience of…
The Pope in Ireland Chai Brady discusses the Pope’s trips abroad and their importance Although Pope Francis has travelled many times within Italy, it is his foreign trips that have drawn the most interest – and sometimes controversy. He is the first Pope to enter a warzone, is not afraid to tackle delicate political…
Joyous pilgrims from across Ireland are hopping on planes trains and automobiles in their hoards this week to celebrate the importance of family and marriage in their lives. In a moment that will go down in history, Pope Francis will step off his plane at approximately 10.30am on Saturday to be greeted by clergy and…
Pope in Ireland Chai Brady explores why Francis is known as the ‘Pope of the poor’ When darkness falls on the city of Rome and the its homeless search for shelter and food, there’s one disguised shepherd on the streets practicing what he preaches and assisting the impoverished. Not many people would expect a…
Pope Francis in Ireland Pope Francis: a champion for the cause of migrants, writes Chai Brady Continuously being a strong advocate for the rights of migrants and refugees, it seems wholly appropriate that Pope Francis’ first pastoral visit outside Rome was Lampedusa – where migrants have arrived in huge numbers over the years. In…
Pope in Ireland Pope Francis has often spoken about the importance of love and marriage before and during his papacy, which makes it very apt he will meet couples from every diocese in Ireland in the pro-cathedral during his visit. On August 25 Francis will join with married and engaged couples in St Mary’s…