In the remote village of N’Korobougou, in the western region of Koulikoro, 68-year-old Kany Doumbia was diagnosed with trichiasis, the advanced stage of trachoma, where the infection has become so bad that the eyelashes have turned inwards, painfully scratching the eyeball with every blink. After 20 years of pain, surgery has returned her sight. Every…
Mags Gargan
Dublin GAA star Ger Brennan: I’m no homophobe, and I’m voting ‘no’
“I don’t think it makes sense to say children should not be part of a debate about marriage and the family”
Convert who discovered “beauty” of Catholicism is ordained priest
A Protestant who discovered the “richness and beauty” of the Catholic Church as a teenage convert, was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Down & Connor at the weekend. Fr Andrew Black (27), who was baptised into the Church of Ireland, was ordained at the Church of St Colmcille in his native Holywood,…
Jesuits are making phased withdrawal from the Pioneers Association
The Irish Jesuits are making a phased withdrawal from the Pioneers Association because of falling numbers and aging profile of their priests. The Pioneers Total Abstinence Association of the Sacred Heart was founded in 1898 by a Dublin Jesuit, Fr James Cullen to address the damage being caused by excess alcohol. Over 100 years later,…
Novena responds to call for prayers for marriage
A Co. Meath-based priest and blogger has launched an initiative to encourage the faithful to take part in a novena of prayer in advance of the same-sex marriage referendum. “The bishops of Ireland, in their various letters and statements have called on the faithful to pray intently at this time, so this novena is in…
Knights host seminar on life for students in Co. Down
The Knights of St Columbanus in Downpatrick, Co. Down held a ‘Look at Life’ morning seminar for a group of students in St Marys High School, Downpatrick. Fr Martin Graham, a native of Downpatrick, opened the first session speaking on the ‘Roll of the youth in the Church today’. He talked about the importance of youth…
Celebrating and praying for vocations in Cork and Ross
Over 600 religious, clergy and lay people gathered in the Diocese of Cork and Ross to celebrate and pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life. The celebration in word, song and silence began with the story of the life of faith beginning with St Finbarr and St Fachtna, the two diocesan patrons, through…
Missionaries to host fundraising classical concert
An afternoon of song is being organised by the Returned Missionary Desk of the Irish Missionary Union. ‘Summer Song’ will take place at the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers) on Wednesday, May 13 from 3pm to 4pm. (No 15 bus from town) This fundraising concert which will aid the work being done by the Peter…
First aid skills save lives
Learning first aid can mean the difference between life and death for someone in an emergency situation, writes Mags Gargan
Kilmore re-launches diocesan adoration committee
A group of lay people, sent as delegates by parishes throughout the Diocese of Kilmore, was in formation and training over the past four months as part of the development and expansion of the Diocesan Eucharistic Adoration Committee. This was organised and conducted by John Howard and Brendan Cleary of the National Committee of the Apostolate…