Casey Schmauder Flyers are hung about the city proclaiming not Beyonce and Rihanna concerts, but “Mary Inflames the Embers…Are You Ready?” This is the title of the 16th Catholic Young Adults’ Conference which will take place August 20-21 in Dublin’s All Hallows College for ages 18 to 40. The event typically draws more than 200 people.…

We’re giving readers of The Irish Catholic the chance to attend an exclusive special preview screening of new Irish film on Knock Shrine, Strange Occurrences in a Small Irish Village, at Light House Cinema, Smithfield, Dublin on the evening of August 22. In August 1879, 15 people in the small village of Knock, Co Mayo,…

One of the world’s largest Christian charities, World Vision, has been rocked by allegations that its funds in the Gaza Strip have been funnelled to the militant group Hamas. Since June, the charity body has been lobbying the Israeli government over the arrest of its Gaza director, Mohammad El Halabi, who was detained without explanation…

Christian community under threat in the Philippines Christians on the Filipino island of Jolo have called on Muslim leaders to help in tackling Islamic fundamentalism in the wake of attacks and threats against the community there. According to reports emerging from the island, at least one Christian has died in an attack, while Christians have been threatened by radical Muslim groups.…

A Catholic prelate in South Sudan has urged the international community not to forget the ongoing conflict in that nation.  Warning that one immediate result of ignoring South Sudan now will be an increase in “the tide of refugees reaching Europe’s shores”, Bishop Barani Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of Tombura- Yambio called on world powers to…

Christians in Iraq have marked the second anniversary of the emergence of so-called Islamic State (ISIS) with prayers for peace and a return to the land they were forced to flee. Led by Chaldean Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako, Christians recalled the “Mosul tragedy (June 10-17, 2014) and Nineveh Plain catastrophe (August 6/7, 2014)” and prayed…

The Diocese of Killaloe has announced a number of appointments. Following a mid-term evaluation of the diocesan pastoral plan, Fr Ger Nash, the current Diocesan Secretary, will also assume the role of Director of Pastoral Development.  Meanwhile, Fr Michael Geraghty has taken responsibility for Killaloe’s social media presence in conjunction with the Office of Communications…

In a double first for the The Society of St Columban, the congregation has appointed a woman as the first lay editor of its mission magazine, The Far East. Journalist Sarah MacDonald, a specialist in religious affairs and former reporter for The Irish Catholic, takes over from Fr Cyril Lovett SSC.  Welcoming MacDonald’s appointment, Fr…

Clonard Monastery in Belfast hosted a dual celebration on July 30 when Mark McMullan and Ryan Holovlasky professed their first vows as Redemptorists. Mark (left) is from Belfast and joined the order’s formation programme in 2013 after gaining experience in the voluntary sector while Ryan (right) is from South Africa and joined in 2012, leaving…