Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown has said the Catholic faith needs to move away from an idea of “service delivery” and towards “community organisation,” in a recent interview with The Irish News. The bishop believes this is an opportunity for “renewal of the Church, not as a service-delivering body, but as a community organisation providing…
Bishop of Ferns appointed new Ossory Administrator
Bishop of Ferns Ger Nash was appointed as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Ossory in addition to his role as Bishop of Ferns. The appointment was delivered by the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland, Archbishop Luis Mariano Montemayor, and took effect on January 25, when Ossory’s former Bishop Niall Coll was installed as the Bishop…
The Irish education system failed in teaching about the Holocaust, says NGO founder
“That 300,000 adults in Ireland have passed through the education system and still believe that the Holocaust is a myth represents abject failure,” said Dublin-based art dealer Oliver Sears, founder of Holocaust Awareness Ireland, about a recent survey which claims that almost one in ten Irish aged 18 to 29 believe the Holocaust is a…
Numbers at Mass might be down, but commitment and engagement are not, says Galway parish priest
While the number of people involved in the life of the Church is not as big as it once was, those who choose to be involved are “deeply committed and passionate about their faith,” said Oranmore parish priest, Fr Diarmuid Hogan. “I think it is the experience of my colleagues, and it is certainly my…
Donegal parishes to become ‘catechumenal hubs’
New bishop outlines vision to refocus parishes The incoming Bishop of Raphoe Diocese (Donegal) Bishop Niall Coll wants to bring what he learnt from his experience as Bishop of Ossory to his new home diocese of Raphoe and that chiefly will be catechetical renewal at parish level. His installation as Bishop of Raphoe will take…
Christmas 2025 had mostly packed churches around the country
Christmas 2025 saw packed churches around the country, as attendance has been increasing gradually since the pandemic, The Irish Catholic has learnt. Fr John Dunphy, PP Graiguecullen / Killeshin Parish in Carlow said they celebrated seven Christmas Masses in his parish and all of them “were overflowing”. For him, Christmas 2025 Mass “was certainly the…
‘Welcome pack’ invites Massgoers to be ‘regulars’ in Galway parish
A ‘Welcome Pack’ was distributed to all households attending Christmas celebrations in Oranmore Parish, Co. Galway. The parish’s ‘family welcome project’ had members of staff greeting people arriving at the Christmas celebration and, on their way out, handing them the pack, verbally inviting them to come again. “The pack included a leaflet outlining the services,…
The Mayor of Bethlehem invites Irish pilgrims to the Holy Land
The Christian Mayor of Bethlehem, Maher Nicola Canawati, has invited Irish pilgrims to return to the Holy Land in a message sent to The Irish Catholic. Mr Canawati met with Irish pilgrims during the first Christmas celebration in Bethlehem since the Gaza War outbreak on October 7, 2023. “From the City of the Prince of…
Remembering big Irish moments during the Jubilee Year
By Renata Steffens and Pedro Esteva The Year of Hope was marked by many events worldwide. In Ireland, it was not different, as the Irish faithful celebrated the Jubilee Year with nationwide and local events. In addition to those events, Irish Catholics saw a number of other important events taking place. Commemorating the Jubilee of…
Daniel O’Donnell speaks about his Christmas, faith and plans for 2026
Each person has their own favourite part of the Christmas celebrations. Some people love the food, while for others, the decorations bring joy and colour to a dark, cold month. For Daniel O’Donnell, the best part is Christmas Mass. Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Mr O’Donnell said he loves “the services at Christmas. I love…

Renata Steffens







