Ireland’s largest diocese is the latest to announce a new partnership model for its 197 parishes to realign “efforts and energies to suit the times”, Archbishop Dermot Farrell said. Parishes will now share resources and co-ordinate Mass schedules with designated partners, having been informed of the arrangements last week following months of consultation. Parish pastoral…
Faith in Film Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo star in the subtle rom-com Just Like Heaven. Last week, I wrote about how great art can turn our eyes to God to appreciate his beauty. But not everything has to be deep and serious to warrant our attention. Light, sincere films can be just as effective,…
A “generous” donation of land by the Dominican Sisters, Cabra, will be developed by Focus Housing to deliver 95 public homes in the North Dublin community. The development wouldn’t have been possible without the “considerable” size of the order’s donation, over 7,300 meters squared of public space for community use just off Rathoat Road. The…
Catholic parents are very concerned about amoral sexual teaching, Fr Chris Hayden tells Ruadhán Jones How can Catholics talk about the Church’s teachings on sex and sexuality? The answer seems to be, with difficulty. Fr Sean Sheehy’s sermon little more than a month ago brought those teachings into focus and stirred up a great deal…
8 out of 10 Irish adults to give to charity at Christmas More than 8 out of 10 Irish adults plan on making a donation to charity over the Christmas period, a new survey has shown. Some 86% of Irish adults will definitely or probably make a charitable donation of money, time or goods during…
The Archdiocese of Tuam is planning for parishioner led faith communities as the “downward trend” in vocations to the priesthood continues. Archbishop Francis Duffy announced the plans in a pastoral letter to the people of the diocese, read out at Masses over the weekend November 26-27. There are presently 41 diocesan priests under the retirement…
The North’s politicians must act with “more urgency” to establish the Executive as the cost-of-living crisis worsens, St Vincent de Paul NI have said. “There needs to be more urgency [to restore the Executive] given the level of the crisis,” said Mary Waide, president of SVP’s North Region, including Belfast. The comments come after Secretary…
Faith in Film I mentioned last week that while the Vatican is an unlikely source of film criticism, it does have its own list of ‘great films’. It’s a list I encourage you to check out, easily found with a quick Google search. Their selection is broken up into three categories, religion, values and art.…
The “vital” work of peace building on the island of Ireland is still unfinished, the Church leaders, including Archbishop Eamon Martin, told President Michael D. Higgins. The Church leaders group met the President of Ireland and his wife Sabina, last Monday (November 28) for a “relaxed and informal conversation across a wide range of issues”.…
Archbishop Martin launches Advent calendar Primate of All-Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin has launched the bishops’ interactive digital Advent calendar, which will go live on November 27 on catholicbishops.ie. This year “more than ever” we need an Advent filled “with hope, promise and peace and, of course, the message of the Christmas angels: do not be…