School principals and teachers are on the “frontline” in combating many of Ireland’s current social problems, a Catholic education spokesperson has said. According to Seamus Mulconry of the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association, every social issue that has affected the country, such as homelessness, “hits schools first” and teaching staff need more “resources and support”…
Hundreds of thousands of young people and religious descended upon Panama City last week to celebrate faith and friendship, with the hope of also catching a glimpse of Pope Francis. Running from January 22-27, World Youth Day 2019 saw an incredible number of pilgrims travelling to the Catholic country as part of the festival, presided…
Questions of Faith It’s no secret that Catholics believe Mary is the Mother of God, a fate she learned about at the Annunciation. According to the Gospel of Luke, the angel Gabriel came to Mary as a young virgin and said: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now,…
Forgiveness is key to overcoming the violent legacy of Northern Ireland’s past, a well-known ecumenical priest has said. Speaking ahead of a Belfast-based festival aimed to create peace in the country, Fr Martin Magill of St John’s Parish on the Falls Road told The Irish Catholic that over the past few decades “so much hurt…
Catholic schools and parish communities play a vital role in welcoming and supporting families stuck in Direct Provision centres, a Cork-based priest has said. Commenting on the Millstreet centre, which campaigners believe has the largest number of children of all the Cork Direct Provision sites, Fr John Fitzgerald said that many asylum seekers are well-integrated…
The Church is at the forefront of tackling gambling addiction, but more work is needed, writes Colm Fitzpatrick It’s a rare situation in the Northern Irish political landscape where all major parties unanimously agree to tackle a social issue, but it seems that problem gambling falls suitably into this exceptional category. Often relegated to…
Swathes of young people are at risk of gambling addiction across the country given the sheer lack of support mechanisms tackling the issue. According to Stephen Hughes, Senior Youth worker in Belfast’s St Peter’s Immaculata Youth Centre, gambling addiction among young people is at crisis point as there are currently no provisions for those aged…
Questions of Faith The Sacrament of Confession can seem not only a daunting practice for many Catholics but also a bizarre one – privately asking for forgiveness from God for your sins makes sense, but confessing them to a priest seems weird. Why not go past the middle man and straight to God? It’s not…
The future of the Catholic faith in Ireland depends on whether we can create disciples, rather than just forming passive Mass-goers, Waterford and Lismore’s bishop has said. Speaking to The Irish Catholic about how the Church is now a “minority” in Ireland, Bishop Phonsie Cullinan said “mediocrity” or “lukewarmness” will not suffice in spreading the…
Questions of Faith In the last few decades there has been a resurging belief within popular culture and even among Christians that God created Jesus – and this is no small number. A survey conducted by Lifeway Research a few years ago, which interviewed 3,000 Americans about their theological views, revealed that 78% believed that…