A new diocesan administrator, Fr Tom Healy, has been appointed for the Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnois following Archbishop Francis Duffy’s installation as the new Archbishop of Tuam. Fr Healy PP of Edgeworthstown in Co. Longford will administer the day-to-day affairs of Ardagh and Clonmacnois until a new bishop is appointed. He will continue in…
The murder of Ashling Murphy in Tullamore is “incomprehensible and tragic”, her former Religious Education teacher has said. Fr Michael Wall, chaplain in Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, where Ms Murphy studied to become a teacher, told The Irish Catholic she was an “excellent student” and “a great musician”. “She was teaching music at home.…
Priests of the Kilmore Diocese have told The Irish Catholic they feel left in the dark after being told by the diocesan administrator that they should not speak about Bishop Martin Hayes’ leave of absence. The bishop wrote to the clergy in early December saying that he was taking a number of weeks leave on…
The controversial law on the minimum pricing of alcohol has been welcomed by homelessness charity founder Fr Peter McVerry who said it is “very positive” but admitted there were downsides to the legislation. Minimum unit pricing of alcohol, enacted on January 4, aims to stop the sale of strong alcohol at low prices, which has…
The synodal journey is a “pathway not a runway” and will not give an “instant solution”, Archbishop Francis Duffy said during his homily for his installation Mass as Archbishop of Tuam. Archbishop Duffy was installed in the Cathedral of the Assumption, Tuam on Sunday, January 9, taking the reins from Archbishop Michael Neary who served…
Children’s Corner Over the Christmas many people may have given or received bath salts as a gift. The popular substance is dissolved in bathwater to enhance the experience and is said to have medicinal qualities. The use of salts for healing purposes has been happening for thousands of years and can be tracked back to…
A lay Catholic organisation held three rosary rallies in Dublin in the run up to Christmas to bring the “true joy” of Christmas to people, and to oppose secularisation. The Irish Society for Christian Civilisation (ISFCC) held the Christmas rallies on O’Connell Street on December 4, 11 and 18. The participants prayed the rosary and…
Governments must pour more money into education and drastically reduce military spending for there to be genuine progress and peace in the world, Pope Francis has warned in his annual message for the World Day of Peace. “It is high time, then, that governments develop economic policies aimed at inverting the proportion of public funds spent on education and on weaponry,” the…
The faith-filled behemoth of the GAA world Mickey Harte has always been open about the importance of religion in his life and how it has helped him through his darkest moments. As the New Year approaches, he spoke to The Irish Catholic about his hopes and new memoir Devotion. The Christmas and New Year period…
Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu has been described as a “warrior” inspired by his Christian faith who fought against inhumanity and apartheid in South Africa, following his death over the weekend. Irish missionary Archbishop Liam Slattery OFM told The Irish Catholic Archbishop Tutu brought “humanity to what was an inhumane situation”. “He was one of the…