It seemed as though Pope Francis’s invitation to Todos! Todos! Todos! had been answered – and they were all in Rome. The crowds filling St Peter’s Square and spilling down Via della Conciliazione on Sunday were more suggestive of the election of a new Pope than Pope Leo’s weekly Angelus and blessing. In such crowds,…
Last week a judge in Belfast found Soldier F not guilty of the murder of William McKinney or Jim Wray or of five attempted murders on Bloody Sunday, January 30, 1972. Some readers will remember Bloody Sunday, 53 years ago, when 13 unarmed Catholic civilians on a civil rights march were killed by soldiers from…
“Horror movies can actually help us have the sometimes awkward conversations, but in a safe way,” says Fr Ryan Duns SJ. “That’s my pitch whenever parents get nervous and say, ‘You’re teaching a course on horror at a Catholic school?’ “I tell them, honestly, they’re watching these films anyway. So why not baptise the genre?…
St John Henry Newman, newly named Doctor of the Church, reminds educators that the vocation of teaching is a ministry of truth It should come as no surprise that Pope Francis chose the Jubilee of Educators (November 1) as the occasion to proclaim St John Henry Newman a Doctor of the Church. Few figures…
The Pre-Synodal Assembly in Kilkenny was, in every sense, a grace-filled and hopeful gathering. Over 230 delegates from all four corners of Ireland came together in what was truly a moment of genuine ecclesial encounter. From the first registration queue to the final blessing, the weekend carried an unmistakable buzz; an energy born of gratitude…
In the proud sporting city of Cork, greatness is never in short supply. This is, after all, the self-proclaimed ‘real capital’ — a place where talent and ability seem to pour as freely as the River Lee. From Roy Keane’s fierce leadership on the football pitch to Sonia O’Sullivan’s Olympic glory to Ronan O’Gara’s cool…
Pope Leo XIV has said there can be no single model of synodality for all countries, emphasising that the Church must instead undergo a “conversion to a spirit of being Church” rooted in mission and communion. “We’re not looking for a uniform model,” he told synod leaders gathered from around the world in the Vatican’s…
A new report from The Catholic Project at The Catholic University of America offers a revealing snapshot of American priests in 2025 from their morale, pastoral priorities, and perceptions of Church leadership. The study shows that on the whole priests report satisfaction with ministry, but trust in bishops is still low, albeit with some improvement.…
The emerald green of Limerick has been worn by some of the country’s most colossal athletes in recent years: Kyle Hayes, Gearóid Hegarty, Will O’Donoghue. Giants of men, they have combined raw athleticism with finesse and skill to etch themselves into the national consciousness as household names and leaders on the field. Yet in the…
Former Mountjoy Governor, John Lonergan, reflects on his career, social justice and the problems currently plaguing the criminal justice system “I suppose that was the beginning of beginning to realise that life is not fair and that some people were born into horrendous circumstances where it was almost inevitable that they were going to end…
Nuala O’Loan