As a teenager in Leeds, Michelle Moran was waiting for some friends when a Christian street preacher approached her with a question: “Do you ever think of Spiritual things?” The youth – who would grow up to become a globe-trotting Catholic evangelist – quickly backed away. She did not understand the question. Although raised a…
A leading politician – who once claimed he was indoctrinated at his Catholic grammar school – has been spearheading a highly controversial bill in the north of Ireland. Eoin Tennyson, an Alliance Party MLA at Stormont, wants to ban conversion practices related to sexuality or gender. Some time ago, Mr Tennyson, a gay man, shared…
It the end of a distressing day, Fr Brendan McGee washed the blood from his knees, the blood of a murdered parishioner. It is one of the most striking episodes chronicled in a new book on the history of my parish, which this weekend marks its Golden Jubilee. St Michael’s Parish was created in 1976,…
It was the grin that got me. From a former St Dominic’s Catholic schoolgirl who is now Lord Mayor of Belfast. Róis-Máire Donnelly was about to endorse a decision to illuminate City Hall to mark “safe” abortion day on September 28. She caught someone’s eye and smiled. Perhaps it was a thoughtless moment, but given…
A new case for the cause of canonisation of two Irish priests – who were shot dead in Belfast by the British Army – has been opened by the Diocese of Down and Connor. A spokesman for the Diocese has told The Irish Catholic that the process for “the cause of the saints” has been started for…
Ihe most popular version of the Irish republican song, The Foggy Dew, was penned by a priest at St Peter’s Cathedral, Belfast, which is about to mark its 160th birthday. It was one of the many fascinating facts I learned on a recent tour, led by local historian Steven Corr. St Peter’s was forty years…
Abortion is a ‘David and Goliath’ fight – and we all know how that turned out. But securing the right to life for unborn children is going to be a long battle before victory is won. While David had five stones, we Catholics have five decades on our rosaries – powerful spiritual weapons. “God has…
A tale of two Marys, amid many faith stories. That was my experience of the National Novena at Knock 2026: joy at the vision of Our Lady, who appears above St Joseph, the layman, and St John, the priest and evangelist, and sorrow that the journalist, Mary Kennedy, during her privileged position as speaker at…
The new Bishop of Derry has urged Catholics to view the upcoming Synod as an opportunity to evangelise and to bring back those who have “walked away”. Bishop Michael Router, who is part of the National Synod Team, and steering committee, rejected the notion that it is a “talking shop” with an agenda to change…
In March 18, Bishop Michael Router was in Rome, where he met the Pope as part of his work around healthcare and ethics. He described the Pontiff as a serene presence. “Pope Leo was very calm, very quiet, a good listener,” said Bishop Router, “Someone that you would take seriously, a very strong character.” It…