The diocese of Simla Chandigarh sits in the north of India, bordering both Pakistan and China. It is as big as the whole of Ireland at 83,560 square kilometres, and consists of three states of India, namely, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Predesh and the union territory of Chandigarh. Over the past year, the diocese, whose…

The Sunday Gospel Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap. The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ is a celebration of the presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Eucharist. It is an astounding belief. We would not dare to hold this belief except that it is based on the very words of Jesus himself.…

On the 20th of April this year, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) launched our Freedom of Religion in the World Report. This biannual report looks at the state of religious freedom in all 196 countries in the world during the 2018-2020 period. The situation for religious freedom across the world is dire, with…

Irish Franciscan Fr Gearóid Ó Conaire OFM tells Ruadhán Jones about the plight of the Church in Cuba against a background of transition in leadership and Covid It’s hard for us in Ireland to grasp the complexities and challenges of life in Cuba for Catholic clergy, religious and laity. This has only become accentuated by…

The Sunday Gospel Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap. As he was about to ascend to heaven, the Lord Jesus instructed the apostles to go, make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Today we are celebrating the Most Holy Trinity. Four…

The unrest wracking the Holy Land is mired in history, culture, religion and emotion, but the root causes remain unaddressed, writes Jason Osborne An Irish sister on the ground in the Holy Land has described as “desperate” the current conflict between Israel and Islamic militants in Gaza with little sign of a ceasefire on the…

The Irish Catholic Spring Legacy 2021 A Last Act of Mercy Through legacy donations Concern helps families in Africa and Asia move towards self-sufficiency and education, preparing them for shocks like the pandemic, Chai Brady hears Levels of extreme poverty have increased by 7% for the first time in 20 years due to the effects…

The Irish Catholic Spring Legacy 2021 A Last Act of Mercy Covid-19 has made Trócaire’s work more difficult, but Irish donations have ensured they adapt and continue to do it, writes Jason Osborne The pandemic didn’t come at a good time for anyone, but still less for Trócaire. An organisation that is built upon the…

The Sunday Gospel Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap. May I begin by wishing us all a very happy birthday. It is the birthday of the Church, the day when the coming of the Holy Spirit utterly transformed the apostles from being fearful and directionless into a community empowered to carry on the mission of Jesus.…

Martina Purdy and Elaine Kelly turn from walking to talking with their new podcast, writes Jason Osborne While interest in St Patrick has never died out on this island, it’s certainly enjoying something of a rebirth under the guidance of Martina Purdy and Elaine Kelly. First with their ‘Saint Patrick’s Way’ pilgrimages, now with their…