“The Church is either missionary or not Church at all,” said Archbishop Dermot Farrell at the 80th anniversary Mass of Irish Carmelite missionary presence in Zimbabwe on March 22. Joined by the Carmelite priory of Whitefriar Street Church, clergy from Zimbabwe, and a large congregation, Archbishop Farrell celebrated the gift of mission between the two…
Clonard youth gather for E2T programming at retreat
Clonard Youth and Young Adult Ministry gathered for their residential retreat at Greenhill YMCA in Newcastle, Co. Down over the weekend, as part of their Empower 2 Transform (E2T) programme, a regional partnership youth programme delivered across Northern Ireland through YMCA Ireland, Youth Link NI, Youth Initiatives NI, and Mencap NI. The E2T programme aims…
A celebration of intertwining mission and culture at Whitefriar Street
A large congregation gathered to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Irish Carmelite Order’s missionary presence in Zimbabwe on Sunday, March 22 at Whitefriar Street Church in Dublin. The Mass was celebrated by Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell, and music from the Zimbabwean Catholic musicians present expressed the energy, joy and faith that the community…
Pope Leo calls bishops to Rome to discuss families, ‘Amoris Laetitia’ in October
Ten years after Pope Francis issued a controversial document on families, Pope Leo XIV will meet with bishops from around the world to discuss the text’s application for today. Amoris Laetitia, Francis’ apostolic exhortation on marriage and the family, followed two contentious synods at the Vatican dominated by debate over divorce. Pope Leo on Thursday…
Using the name of God to justify wars is ‘gravest sin’ of our time, Cardinal Pizzaballa says
The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, said last week that “the manipulation of God’s name to justify this and any other war is the gravest sin we can commit in this time.” The cardinal was commenting in response to the words of US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who quoted Psalm 144 during…
Icelandic police inspect priest’s comments on homosexuality
Icelandic police have confirmed that they are examining comments made by a Catholic priest about homosexuality that may violate the country’s laws against conversion therapy. The Reykjavik police said they would investigate the remarks made by Fr Jakob Rolland to Icelandic state broadcaster RÚV in early March, to determine whether criminal proceedings should be opened…
Clergy seek court order to allow pastoral access to immigrants held at Minneapolis ICE facility
Protestant and Catholic clergy are asking a federal judge to order that they be allowed to minister to immigrants in a holding facility at the headquarters of the Trump administration’s enforcement surge in Minnesota. US District Judge Jerry Blackwell will hear from attorneys for Minnesota branches of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the United…
Cobh parish appeals for ‘material support’ of priests
Cobh Parish, Co. Cork has launched an appeal for the parish community to contribute to the parish priests’ income through their annual collections, as they reported a “significant shortfall in the income from these specific collections.” The appeal, posted to the parish Facebook site on March 14, outlines the current allocation of parish funds, noting…
Crooke choir singer honoured with papal medal
John Furlong of Crooke, Co. Waterford was honoured with a Papal Benemerenti medal, presented to him by Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan at a special Mass over the weekend. The Papal Benemerenti medal, awarded by Pope Leo, honours laity with exceptional dedication to the Catholic Church and community. Mr Furlong’s contribution to parish life, specifically his service…
Armagh congress addresses modern day challenges to ‘landscape of faith’
Laity and clergy in Armagh are preparing to gather for a historic archdiocesan congress on youth, family and faith this weekend, March 20-22. The congress, which invites people to reflect upon what it means to be “St Patrick’s people in Ireland today”, focuses on seven priorities identified in conversations with young adults, young families and…









