Recent polling hints at Catholic voters alienated from their traditional political homes, writes Ruadhán Jones With an election around the corner in the North, opinion polls are causing their usual stir, suggesting that May’s assembly election could be quite momentous. In May of this year, the North could for the first time ever vote a…
Overcome our argumentative age with generosity, says Bishop McKeown Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown warned that we must heed Christ’s call to a “spirit of generosity” to overcome our “argumentative age”. In his homily Sunday 20, Bishop McKeown said that Jesus offers us the grace to rise above “the desire for revenge or sectarianism”. He…
Bishop Donal McKeown has accused President Michael D. Higgins of stoking division over “unhelpful” comments from the president characterising Catholic schools in the North as sectarian. During an event on the role of women in peace-building, Mr Higgins described as “shameful” the fact that parental choice is central to education in the North and that…
Chai Brady in Jerusalem A group of pilgrims with The Irish Catholic have become the first Irish visitors to the Holy Land since the beginning of the pandemic. Some 40 people left Dublin Airport on Wednesday under the auspices of Marian Pilgrimages for the trip to the Holy Land for the first time since Covid-19…
As energy costs rise and the climate crisis “stares us in the face”, the time is right for parishes in Ireland to embrace solar energy, Trócaire have said. Jane Mellett, Laudato Si’ officer for the Irish bishops’ official overseas development agency, told The Irish Catholic that “it just seems time” to look at new energy…
Archbishop of Armagh Eamon Martin said during a recent Oxford Union debate that private religion is “primarily a religion of sentiment” and quoted St Cardinal John Henry Newman that “we must of necessity ignore it”. Opposing the motion February 17 “This House would move beyond organised religion,” Archbishop Martin said that once the aspects of…
Staff Reporter Bishop of Down and Connor Noel Treanor ordained six new permanent deacons for the diocese on Saturday, calling on them to “incentivise concrete care for all” through their service. Kieran Hunt, Ricky Looney, Jackie Breen, Mark Leneghan, John Downey and Paddy Keown were all ordained in a ceremony at St Peter’s Cathedral, Belfast,…
Hollywood legend Mickey Rourke is set to feature in Man of God, an upcoming movie about wonder-working eastern saint, St Nektarios of Aegina. The movie is currently being filmed in Greece and is to be released later this year. Mr Rourke has taken on the role of a paralysed man who was healed in hospital…
The “iconic” 15-foot cross on the roof of the Church of the Ascension in Gurranabraher, Cork, has been left tilted by high winds associated with storm Franklin on Sunday. Masses were temporarily postponed and have since restarted, but parish priest Fr Tom Walsh said that, after Covid, it feels like “one disaster after another”. “It’s…
Staff reporter The Saint Patrick Centre in Co. Down continues its highly successful all-inclusive five day/four night ‘St Patrick camino experience’ next month called ‘the journey’ with pilgrim guides Sister Martina Purdy and Sister Elaine Kelly staying in the Tobar Mhuire monastic retreat centre in Crossgar. The journey includes four guided walks through the stunning St Patrick’s Way in Co.…
Chai Brady