“Love is the life of the Church and prayer is the lifeblood of that life, prayer is hope in action,” Archbishop Dermot Farrell told the congregation at St Kevin’s, Harrington Street, as he ordained Bro. Ciarán Egan to the priesthood on Saturday, September 13. This was the first ordination to take place in St Kevin’s…
How Sr Fiona Pryle has spent decades battling for women’s safety The numbers are stark. Gardai were called to more than 65,000 incidents of domestic abuse last year, a 45% rise in just four years. But the numbers don’t tell the whole story, behind those figures are lives marked by fear, isolation, and tragedy.…
When Matthew Sanders launched Longbeard, the name was a nod to two images. One was slightly more reverent though, tongue and cheek: an homage to the “big man with the white beard” – God. The other was considerably less reverent, more rebellious, a tip of the hat to pirates. That desire to go out on…
“The support of my parish and family carried me all the way to ordination,” hears Pedro Esteva It takes a village to raise a priest,” said Rev. Tiernan Burke, reflecting on the long journey which recently brought him to the transitional diaconate – just one year away from full priesthood. Now 40, Rev. Burke described…
“What I see in the various parishes I visit are so many people from different cultures and countries, many of them very young people, bringing new life and energy, that’s such a positive sign for the Church today and for the future,” Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin Paul Dempsey told The Irish Catholic. “To welcome people…
“Your sons need to see you on your knees praying,” said Fr Philip Mulryne OP at a packed Legion of Mary Men’s Conference in Dublin. The former Manchester United footballer turned Dominican priest was speaking at the From Football to Faith night, which also featured the testimony of ex-Irish international Keith Fahey. Asked how the…
The ordination of Fr Peter George Flynn OFM Conv was a joyous occasion. The Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Fairview Strand, Dublin, was packed with friends, family, brothers, parishioners, and well wishers from across Ireland and beyond. Presiding was Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin Paul Dempsey, who noted that though this…
According to the recent report, the rate of domestic abuse callouts has jumped 45% in the last four years, with over 65,000 incidents in the last year. Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín TD described the figures as “shocking,” accusing government of “hiding behind” claims that the rise is simply due to increased reporting. Asking, “If the…
The National Novena to Our Lady of Knock took place from August 13-21, drawing pilgrims from across the Irish Isle and beyond to the famous Mayo Shrine. August 21 was the anniversary of the sighting of the 1879 Apparition in which 15 local witnesses described a silent vision of Our Lady, St Joseph, St John…
It’s fair to say that the pace of modern life is accelerating. Technologies that once belonged to the realm of science fiction, think of films like Gattaca (1997) or Jurassic Park (1993), are quickly becoming reality. What seemed like speculation mere decades ago is unfolding before our eyes. From in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and embryonic…