This year marks the 100th birthday of the legendary Catholic writer Flannery O’Connor. Her hometown of Milledgeville, Georgia, drew admirers from all over to take part in the festivities, which included a cake and a ‘Dress Like Flannery’ contest. Writers from all over came to her grave to place their pens, described Fr Damian Ference,…
A new initiative is bringing the spirit of the Camino de Santiago to Ireland with the launch of the Pilgrim Passport. This passport connects three of Ireland’s most significant pilgrimage sites—Knock Shrine, Croagh Patrick, and Lough Derg—offering pilgrims the opportunity to mark their spiritual journey with official stamps from each location. The passport booklet provides…
Premiering on Good Friday, April 18, Sins of Ireland explores the legacy of the Catholic Church in Ireland through the lens of confession. Directed by Alex Fegan (Older Than Ireland, The Irish Pub), the documentary features fifteen priests reflecting on a sacrament that once shaped Irish identity but has since faded. Confession, first introduced in…
Over 600 schoolchildren and teenagers gathered at St Sylvester’s Parish, Malahide, for a grace-filled day honouring Bl. Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint set to be canonised on April 27. Mary-Aoife and Séamus Ong from Carlo Acutis Ireland shared moving testimonies about Carlo’s deep love for the Eucharist, inspiring young hearts to follow his example…
According to the Vatican’s Central Office of Church Statistics, the global Catholic population has grown from 1.39 billion to 1.4 billion. However, priest shortages persist in Europe, the Americas, and Oceania, despite vocational growth in Africa and Asia. Against this backdrop, Fr Willie Purcell, head of the National Vocations Office in Ireland, has observed increased…
The Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference has published a timeline laid out by the ‘National Synodal Team’, which will culminate in Ireland’s first national Synodal assembly in October 2026. It noted the necessity of a “gradual process” built on dialogue and communal discernment, all of which it said is guided by the principles outlined in the…
“I am hoping that the Spirit will be very busy here,” said Bishop Donal Roche as he opened the Life in the Spirit Seminar (LSS) in the Our Lady of Good Counsel parish hall. This initial meeting marked the beginning of a seven-week series, organised by the St Colmcille Parish Partnership in South Dublin, bringing…
The snakes have returned to Ireland—at least, that’s the concern raised by Fr Patrick Moore, who sees An Post’s latest St Patrick’s Day stamp design as a troubling sign of the country’s increasing secularisation. In a letter to The Irish Catholic, Fr Moore PP of Castlepollard, Co. Westmeath, lamented that despite St Patrick famously driving…
The gathering featured various speakers to encourage participation and spread awareness. Fr Marius O’Reilly, who introduced the program, recalled over 10,000 attendees in the past two years and jokingly set a bold goal of 2 million for this year. The event began with the Rosary, led by Fr Pat Lombard, followed by an introduction from…
Renowned adventurer Bear Grylls will headline Flame 25, a sold-out gathering of 10,000 young Catholics at OVO Wembley Arena on March 15. The event, themed Unstoppable: Fan the Flame of Hope, is a celebration of faith featuring powerful worship, dynamic performances, and uplifting talks. Bear Grylls, OBE, known for his survival skills and a former…