Sofia Zate On June 30, Sr Mary Tighe celebrated her oak jubilee, ringing in 80 years in the Congregation of the Sisters of St John of God. She also celebrated her 100th birthday on the 14th of the same month. When I spoke to Sr Mary, she sounded grateful as she recalled her, not one…
Author of the acclaimed novels, The Road, No Country for Old Men, Blood Meridian and more, Cormac McCarthy died on June 13, aged 89. Up to that point, he had been considered by many the greatest living American author, and so he must surely now be considered a part of that country’s rich literary heritage.…
It is no secret that Ireland is facing a major drug epidemic. This was once again highlighted by a UN report in March of this year which found the country is the joint fourth highest consumer of cocaine globally – taking into account population size. The Global Report on Cocaine 2023 from the United Nations…
When prelates and lay delegates gather in October for the upcoming Synod of Bishops, they will be asked to directly confront a number of pressing questions including the possibility of women deacons, access to the priesthood for married men, the integration of LGBTQ+ Catholics and penance for sexual abuse and the abuse of power, conscience…
Ireland’s newest bishop has said that the synodal path inaugurated by Pope Francis is an opportunity for the Church to become more participatory. Speaking after his ordination in St Mel’s Cathedral in Longford on Sunday, Bishop Paul Connell, new Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois, said: “Placing our faith and trust in God involves, above all,…
Change is always difficult, the new Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois Paul Connell tells me. Whether it’s the substantial societal shifts the Church is facing, or the personal upheaval Bishop Connell himself experienced upon accepting his appointment to Ardagh and Clonmacnois, change is never easy – but it’s ripe with opportunity. Surprised Conscious that he’s…
What do the archbishop of Suva in Fiji and the cardinal in Tonga have in common? The same thing as many Fijian and Tongan clergy – they are all former students of Irish Columban Fr Donal McIlraith. Fr Donal has been ministering in Fiji for the past 35 years, all of them spent teaching at…
A volatile situation in Cameroon means an Irish nun cannot visit her family, Ruadhán Jones hears. Sr Angèle Nkamsi MSHR, an Irish citizen since 2013, cannot visit her home in Cameroon due to the volatile political situation in the country, she told The Irish Catholic. The last time the Holy Rosary sister visited Cameroon in…
Many adults are still learning about and joining the Church despite cultural changes and challenges, writes Chai Brady. The most recent Central Statistics Office (CSO) stats on religious affiliation in Ireland could be pessimistically received considering the large – but foreseeable – decrease in Ireland’s Catholic population. While the 10% drop is significant, from 79%…
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has released its data for marriages 2022, and it makes for very interesting reading for those interested in the faith landscape of modern Ireland. There were 22,555 opposite-sex marriages in total in Ireland in 2022, with 19,672 of these being first-time marriages in the State. The CSO’s official webpage for…
Chai Brady
Ruadhán Jones