Priests have described the theft of the Blessed Sacrament from a Co. Cavan church as deeply upsetting and proof that we are losing a sense of respect for the sacred in Irish society. It is believed that two young children managed to break into the sacristy of St Patrick’s Church in Kilnaleck, Co. Cavan last…

Over 1,000 young Catholics are expected to descend on the Cistercian College in Co. Tipperary next week for the annual Youth 2000 Summer Festival. Youth 2000 is an international movement of young people called to spread the Good News and the cornerstones of its spirituality are the Eucharist and the rosary. The festival, which combines…

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin ‘regrets’ referendum reality check call

A priest among a group of hillwalkers from the Diocese of Ferns who survived the devastating earthquake in Nepal was “astounded” by people’s generosity in helping to raise over €170,000 for relief efforts in the country. Fr Tom Dalton was one of eight people from Wexford who had just landed in Nepal when the earthquake…

The priest behind the decision to cancel the Reek Sunday pilgrimage for the first time in living memory, has said the unprecedented “treacherous” weather conditions put lives at risk. Fr Charlie McDonnell, administrator of Westport parish, first got a call at 5.15am on Sunday morning from the custodian of the chapel on the summit advising…

Limerick city priests have welcomed the announcement of the creation of 300 new jobs as a “boost for the city and the people”. Uber, an online on-demand car service is to hire 150 people by the end of the year and another 150 when the operation is up and running. It has also signed a…

The group tasked with identifying improvements to the Direct Provision system for asylum-seekers and refugees has expressed disappointed at the Government’s lack of progress in implementing its recommendations. “The report of the Working Group will not serve its purpose and improve the protection process or enable asylum seekers to live with greater dignity if it is not implemented,” said…

A weekend retreat for consecrated men and women was held in All Hallows College in Dublin as part of the celebration of the ‘Year for Consecrated Life’. Sr Briege McKenna opened the retreat asking “If we added together the years of consecrated life lived by all of us here in this room, how could we…

Corrymeela, Northern Ireland’s oldest reconciliation community, will celebrate 50 years of peace-making with a unique summer festival from Friday, July 31 to Sunday, August 2 at its centre in Ballycastle, Co. Antrim. Aperture is a festival of diversity, arts, debate, politics, faith, music and celebration. There will be panel discussions on human rights, the Good…