The Diocese of Clogher is seeking a support worker specifically for priests in the diocese after their Council of Priests called for the role to be created, with the need being more pronounced since the pandemic. The ‘Diocesan Support Worker’ will be expected to visit all priests and build relationships and trust, observe their physical,…

An Irish missionary prelate has taken over the administration of a South African diocese after an apostolic visitation, meaning the current bishop will just be the diocese’s “spiritual head”. Archbishop Liam Slattery OFM, the retired bishop of Pretoria archdiocese who has spent almost half a century ministering in South Africa, was appointed apostolic administrator of…

A priest based in Fermanagh has said Boris Johnson is not taking the Good Friday Agreement “seriously” in the wake of the UK prime minister introducing legislation that would override the Brexit treaty. Provisions in the UK Internal Market Bill would give Mr Johnson’s government the power to override key provisions in the Withdrawal Agreement,…

Bishop Martin Hayes has told Kilmore diocese’s newest priest that his calling “may cause many to be fearful” but that he must “seek out the lost” as the current pandemic continues to cause strife across Ireland. Fr Thomas Small from Belturbet, Co. Cavan, was ordained to the priesthood over the weekend in the Church of…

Border communities are fearful of a return to tensions in the region if Britain goes ahead with a threat to break a treaty agreeing a frictionless frontier, the country’s newest bishop has warned. Bishop of Kilmore Martin Hayes told The Irish Catholic he was aware that priests and parishioners in border parishes were nervous that…

The Department of Health has confirmed that since the pandemic hit Ireland there has been just one outbreak in the Republic connected with a church, but the religious denomination was not specified. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre “does not collect data on attendance at church or religious denomination for individual cases of Covid-19”, according to…

A virtual pilgrimage to Lourdes organised by the Oblates in Inchicore, Co. Dublin, started over the weekend and continued into this week. Due to Covid-19 the pilgrimage was postponed for 2020. However, their virtual offering began on the evening of Saturday, September 19 and finished on Wednesday, it was based on the theme ‘Bringing Lourdes Home’. A statement…

The new bishop of Kilmore diocese has said that despite the Church being “thrown into chaos” due to Covid-19 “we go forward into the unknown” trusting in Christ. Bishop Martin Hayes was ordained on Sunday, September 20 at the Cathedral of St Patrick and St Felim in Cavan. The Primate of All Ireland, Archbishop Eamon…

The first priest in more than two years was ordained for the Diocese of Meath over the weekend, with Bishop Tom Deenihan saying it is a “sign of hope…despite all the prophets of doom”. Bishop Deenihan ordained Fr Norman Allred in the Cathedral of Christ the King in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath on September 20, His…