Chai Brady and Colm Fitzpatrick After shedding their footwear, the rocks can be quite cold on a pilgrim’s feet when they first step out of their bunk-bedded dorms on Station Island, which has been a place of Christian pilgrimage for centuries, but 48 shoeless hours later it becomes convention. Fortunately, the paths and rocks are mainly smooth –…
Did the Vatican over-rely on the advice of Archbishop Diarmuid Martin on a papal visit to the North, asks Martin O’Brien Why should a Papal visit to the North that enjoyed the enthusiastic support of the Irish and British governments, the Protestant Church leaders, not to mention the Northern bishops to a man, (and…
Aileen Murphy RLR Singers travelled from all corners of the diocese for the first gathering of the diocesan choir on June 7 to prepare for the Papal Mass being held at the end of the World Meeting of Families (WMOF) festival this August. They travelled from the Beara Peninsula, Corca Dhuibhne, from North Kerry and Kenmare…
With just weeks until Pope Francis is in Dublin for the World Meeting of Families, attention is focusing on his teachings and what his message will be to the Church in Ireland. Over the next 4 weeks, The Irish Catholic will publish study guides to the Pope’s landmark documents – this week, Blueprint for the…
At a time when Catholics are feeling “disheartened” the World Meeting of Families comes at no better time according to a parish priest in Meath after a special family event. Trim and Boardsmill Parish’s annual Corpus Christi Procession was held on Sunday last, the Feast of Corpus Christi. The procession this year had a distinctly…
Eighth Amendment After the referendum result, Catholics need to remain clear, firm and passionate in the defence of life, writes Archbishop Eamon Martin The result of Friday’s referendum on the Eighth Amendment confirms that we are living in a new time and a changed culture for Ireland. For the Church it is indeed a…
Eighth Amendment While the Church can never become a cult of the perfect, it has to help each of us along the narrow road to a deeper relationship with God, writes Fr John Harris OP The tsunami of the vote in favour of abortion was no silent revolution, it was the biggest wake-up call…
Eighth Amendment The Church should no longer depend upon State funding for pastoral initiatives, even when they seem to coincide with the good of society, writes Bishop Kevin Doran I awoke last Saturday with a heavy heart because it was already clear that the people of Ireland had voted by a significant majority in…
Eighth Amendment After the referendum, the challenge for us Catholics is how do we ensure that the next generation embraces what means so much to us, writes Larry Donnelly The people have spoken, emphatically. While most of us who like to think we are in the political know saw the Eighth Amendment referendum campaign…
A Parish Family Day aimed at highlighting the “importance of families coming together” and to promote the upcoming World Meeting of Families will be held this weekend in Meath. Organised by the Parish Pastoral Council in Trim, all their neighbouring parishes are invited to take part in their annual Corpus Christi Procession, as well as…
Martin O'Brien
Chai Brady
Archbishop Eamon Martin