The Irish mother of Nottingham attack victim, 19-year-old student Grace O’Malley-Kumar, has appealed for prayers for her daughter and for people not to harbour hate in their hearts during an emotional tribute to her daughter. Addressing the crowd at a vigil in Nottingham’s Market Square, Dublin-born Dr Sinéad O’Malley asked those gathered to “say prayers…
The Ukrainian Catholic community is hoping and praying for peace and justice amid the long-awaited spring counteroffensive in the ongoing war according to the chaplain to Ukrainians in Ireland, Fr Vasyl Kornitsky. “We still pray for hope, for peace in Ukraine,” Fr Kornitsky told The Irish Catholic. “What I noticed recently is that people are…
There has been a considerable increase in the cost of maintaining a basic living across all household types, according to the Society of St Vincent de Paul. In a new report, SVP says the cost of what is known as a Minimum Essential Standard of Living (MESL) has revealed a significant increase in the twelve…
Irish bishops have warned that “extremist views” causing fear and racism towards refugees undermine Ireland’s culture of welcome, and the State should dialogue with local communities. In a statement on World Refugee Day, June 19, the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference encouraged parishes and churches to continue the “great efforts to support our new residents with…
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that while in his view abortion is “sometimes necessary,” it is “not a good thing” and would like to see fewer abortions take place in Ireland. In a recent interview with The Irish Times, Mr Varadkar was asked about the independent review of the State’s abortion law, which recommended a…
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,…
About 150 of the Faithful from parishes across Armagh archdiocese tackled Croagh Patrick, Co. Mayo, on a pilgrimage aimed at marking the 150th anniversary of the dedication of St Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh. The enthusiastic parishioners made the climb on Saturday. It also helped raise funds to help the cathedral into the future.
Our culture ‘despises the body’ – bishop Our modern culture claims to emphasise body over spirit, but it actually “despises the body”, Bishop Donal McKeown has said. While “modern ideology” says bodies are “just a thing to have fun with, to be altered as my fancy takes me”, the Church teaches that the body is…
People who take part in religious practices are less likely to get depression, see a slowing down of the ageing process and don’t die as early as people who don’t take part in religious services, according to one of Ireland’s leading authorities on ageing. Principal investigator of The Irish Longitudinal study on Ageing (TILDA), Prof. Rose Anne Kenny…