Reforms of the Church in Ireland are underway, and they will intensify, Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo tells Michael Kelly The Christian roots of relations between the Irish and the Holy See go back to 431 when Pope Celestine I sent Palladius as Bishop of Ireland. St Patrick was to steal his thunder, but relations between…

The story of this inspiring young man has the power to move hearts and minds, writes Colm Fitzpatrick Incredible people can be found in the most ordinary and unsuspecting of places – the small Scottish town of Carfin is one of those places. It lies between Glasgow and Edinburgh, to the north-east of Motherwell, and…

Chai Brady speaks to couples who met in Lourdes in 2010 and married one month apart   Lourdes is a well-known place of pilgrimage closely connected to faith, prayer and helps people gain a closer connection with God, but if three married couples are anything to go by, it can also be a place to…

Fr Bill Dailey CSC   Love came down at Christmas,
 Love all lovely, love divine; 
Love was born at Christmas,
 Star and angels gave the sign.

 Worship we the Godhead, 
Love incarnate, love divine; 
Worship we our Jesus: 
But wherewith for sacred sign?

 Love shall be our token, 
Love shall be yours and love be…

Chai Brady speaks to an Irish missionary about the tense situation in embattled Bolivia An Irish lay missionary who is serving the local community in Bolivia is living through a political fiasco which has led to protests and violence that kicked off in October after a disputed presidential election. Anne Reilly of Viatores Christi was…

The An Tobar Retreat Centre in Co Meath has announced its upcoming programme for 2020 and along with a number of guided retreats, there are also opportunities to attend personal retreats, workshops and ongoing events. Booking is essential for all programmes, so phone today to secure your place. ****** Ashram Experience Led by: David HalpinFeb…

Gathering together to share ideas, recharge and build creativity is invaluable writes Paula McKeown On Saturday Nov-ember 16, more than 40 young adults actively involved in Catholic Youth Ministry gathered in Sacred Heart Parish in North Belfast, in the Diocese of Down and Connor, for the Fifth Encounter Network Conference. Encounter is a grassroots Catholic…

Chai Brady speaks to an Irish priest who combats human trafficking in Vietnam   Understanding why people risk their lives and pay extortionate amounts of money to be taken on perilous journeys across Europe is confounding for many people far removed from the causal factors behind the decision, but one priest who works on the…

More than 100 Irish pilgrims recently completed a spiritual journey to the Holy Land organised by The Irish Catholic. The special Christian Solidarity Pilgrimage saw people from all over Ireland make their way to the Holy Land to walk in the footsteps of Christ. Both groups, one led by Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown and…

For Christians, training in mindfulness has the potential to create the space which ultimately holds the capacity for full communion with 
God, writes Sr 
 Stanislaus 
Kennedy RSC I welcome the publication A Reflection on Mindfulness – Rediscovering the Christian Tradition of Meditation and Contemplation by the bishops’ conference. It supports mindfulness and recognises that mindfulness,…