Going back to Confession can be difficult, but it is incredibly uplifting, writes Dominic O’Reilly The Year of Mercy has shone a new spotlight on the Sacrament of Reconciliation and many initiatives across the country are attracting people back to Confession. For those who have not been to the sacrament in a long time it…

Greg Daly speaks to Aid to the Church in Need about the global war on Christianity The persecution of Christians around the world is something increasingly spoken of, according to John Pontifex from Britain’s branch of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), but the problem goes far beyond perception. “It’s clearly very much getting…

Mary McDaid describes her experience volunteering with children in India Mary McDaid “A smile is something if you give it away, it comes right back to you,” is a line from a little song we often sang with the children at the Flame of Hope home in Siliguri, India during my recent visit there. And it…

Cathal Barry takes a look at the Church’s new pastoral guide to Confession Dioceses across the island of Ireland reported large numbers participating in Pope Francis’ worldwide promotion of the Sacrament of Confession as part of the ‘24 Hours for the Lord’ initiative earlier this month. Ahead of that initiative, the Pontifical Council for Promoting…

Fr Eamonn Fitzgibbon tells Cathal Barry he hopes the synod in Limerick will reinvigorate the diocese With the first synod to take place in Ireland in half a century fast approaching, organisers are busy putting the final preparations in place. Delegates met for one last time ahead of the upcoming Limerick Diocesan Synod at Mary…

Cathal Barry meets an actress firm in her faith Singer, songwriter, actress, DJ. It seems there is very little Rebecca Ryan can’t master once she puts her hand to it. Readers of The Irish Catholic may recognise her from illustrious roles in Fair City and The Tudors. Others from tuning into Spirit Radio’s breakfast programme…

Northern Protestants are embracing the debt they owe to Patrick, writes Greg Daly There were no shortage of eyebrows raised this January when Belfast councillor Ruth Patterson told the BBC’s William Crawley that St Patrick was “a former Protestant”. Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster’s Talkback show, Ms Patterson, a member of the Democratic Unionist Party…

Many pilgrims to Fatima may be unaware of the prelude to the apparitions of Our Lady, writes Lauri Duffy Lauri Duffy The centenary of the apparitions of an angel to the three children of Fatima in 1916 will be celebrated in ceremonies in Fatima on Monday, March 21. When people think of Fatima, it is…

Martin O’Brien discovers that Pope Francis has taken evangelisation to a new level Edward Sri, husband of Elizabeth, father of seven (another child is on the way) teacher, theologian, bestselling author and EWTN broadcaster is one of the most accomplished communicators of the Catholic faith in the world today. Articulate and compelling he is one…

The real Patrick is a far more compelling figure than the caricature of snakes and shamrocks, writes Salvador Ryan Salvador Ryan Each year as we mark the feast of St Patrick, Ireland’s national patron saint, I cannot help but bemoan the figure of fun and merriment that this “apostle to the Irish” has become. It…