In one of her last engagements before her inauguration as President of Ireland, Catherine Connolly led public representatives at the 15th Annual ‘Swimmers Mass’ in St Mary’s Church, the Claddagh, Galway, on Saturday, November 8. The November Mass, which is offered for swimmers in the city and others who have died in the past year, was celebrated by…
Dear Editor, Aged 14 years, I was given my most memorable insight into the mystery of The Eucharist, based on the following words at The Offertory of the Mass: “By the mingling of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ who humbled Himself to share in our humanity.”…
Archbishop Farrell: Two-hundred years ago today, on the Feast of Saint Laurence O’Toole, this church was dedicated. It was dedicated in a time when courage was required to conceive and undertake a project such as this. While we may rightly marvel at the Dublin Catholics of that time, with Catholic Emancipation still a few years…
The Irish Catholic’s columnist Fr Billy Swan will start in a new role in the Dicastery for the Clergy on November 24. The priest will work as part of the current Prefect, Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik’s team. Fr Swan’s new role “has to do with matters of seminary formation and ongoing formation of priests,” he…
A new Irish-language news service run by the Chinese Communist Party needs to be closely monitored Senator Rónán Mullen has said. CGTN Gaeilge operates as a Facebook page that provides links to articles written in Irish on the broadcaster’s website. “It proves that China has almost limitless resources in its efforts to bring its point…
The alignment of a coffin before the altar tells its own story. I celebrated a funeral Mass for a priest during the month — not that many who attended were aware of this man’s one-time status. He had trained and been ordained by a religious community I had never heard of, in another country, and…
Dear Editor, It was most heartening to read the report in your last issue about the NfRCE conference, where Dr Mullaly stressed about the importance of a holistic education. This is very timely for all schools and especially for the Department of Education and the country’s ETB boards. I have written to your paper before…
We remember with deep gratitude Sister Stanislaus (Stan) Kennedy, a woman whose faith and compassion transformed countless lives in Ireland. A Sister of Charity, Sr Stan dedicated her life to serving those on the margins. Through her founding of Focus Ireland and the Immigrant Council of Ireland, she gave voice and dignity to people too…
Senator Rónán Mullen is calling for a reform of the presidential nomination system in the wake of a huge number of spoilt votes in the recent presidential election. Speaking to this paper Senator Mullen said: “I am calling on the Government to commission a report or set up an All Party Oireachtas Committee to look…