The people of Newtownstewart in Co. Tyrone completed their annual 40 hours Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, which was made continuous due to Covid-19. The church’s choice of the number 40 has a biblical origin. The Old Testament and New Testament describe historic events such as the 40-day flood, the 40 years in the wilderness,…
World-renowned Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli is set to release his new album Believe on November 13, which celebrates ìfaith, hope and charityî. It follows Bocelliís record-breaking ëMusic for Hopeí performance during Easter from the Duomo cathedral in Milan which was watched live by millions of people around the globe. The themes explored in this new recording are deeply personal according to Bocelli, who said: ìThe…
The Diocese of Clogher is seeking a support worker specifically for priests in the diocese after their Council of Priests called for the role to be created, with the need being more pronounced since the pandemic. The ‘Diocesan Support Worker’ will be expected to visit all priests and build relationships and trust, observe their physical,…
Christian Church leaders from across the island of Ireland have called for renewed efforts to strengthen relationships between the UK and Ireland as negotiations reach a critical stage. The leaders’ warned that “with limited time remaining to prepare for the outworking of Brexit, it is in everyone’s interests to achieve the clarity and security an…
Some 5,000 students of Spiritan schools in Ireland and their teachers answered the virtual call to prayer on Friday October 2, Feast Day of the Spiritan founder, Claude Poullart des Places. Each classroom across the Spiritan education community created a 15-minute prayer space in its schedule. The online event, led by Fr Paddy Moran CSSp of the Spiritan leadership…
The Bishop of Cloyne has said that to introduce a bill that would allow for assisted suicide during the middle of a pandemic is a “contradiction of an enormous magnitude”. Bishop William Crean criticised the introduction of the ‘Dying with Dignity Bill’, dubbing it “disingenuous and unnecessary”. In his Homily for the Church’s ‘Day for…
Radical legislation that would make it legal to end the lives of vulnerable patients has passed the first stage in the Oireachtas by 81 votes 71. It was debated for just 70 minutes, with TDs opposed to the move only permitted four minutes of speaking time. Politicians backed the move to send the plan to…
Church leaders have urged parishioners not to lose heart in the face of further Covid-19 restrictions and insisted that they will work to impress upon the civil authorities the vital importance of public Masses. In a statement this evening (Wednesday) following their virtual quarterly plenary meeting, the bishops’ conference said that while they “fully support…
People who think politics is sinking to new lows may find comfort in knowing Pope Francis also is concerned about the debasement of what church teaching has described as a “lofty vocation.” “Political life no longer has to do with healthy debates about long-term plans to improve people’s lives and to advance the common good,…
EXCLUSIVE Chai Brady, Jason Osborne and Ruadhán Jones Three times as many priests have died in Ireland at the height of the coronavirus pandemic compared to the same period over the last three years, The Irish Catholic can reveal. The figures were most stark when comparing April to previous years, with 36 deaths this year…
Chai Brady
Michael Kelly