Singer Morrissey has sent a letter to Pope Francis asking him “to condemn the sinful spectacle of bullfighting”. The former frontman of The Smiths, who lent his support to Notre Dame Cathedral after it was damaged following a fire and has famously championed animal rights, sent an open letter addressed to the head of the…

On September 3, the relics of St Bernadette were entrusted to Bishop Kevin Doran to bring home to Ireland, who was leading a pilgrimage to Lourdes with the Diocese of Elphin. This marks the first visit of St Bernadette’s relics to Ireland. The Elphin pilgrims brought these relics to Ireland, beginning a journey around the…

Following successive years of falling vocations and the retirement of priests, the Diocese of Killaloe has been buoyed by the news that three men from counties Clare and Tipperary will enter the seminary at Maynooth later this month. For the first time in two decades, three vocations have been recorded in one of Ireland’s largest…

In anticipation of the primary relic of the ‘Millennial Saint’ Blessed Carlo Acutis journeying around parishes in Leinster this month, Catholics are preparing for the momentous event, including one young devotee who testified that the faith and story of Blessed Carlo “touched her heart”. Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Mary-Aoife Ong, co-director of Carlo Acutis…

The Focus Ireland annual report 2023 was released this week. In the last year, the charity had an increase of 12.5% in the number of people supported compared to the 2022 report, and an increase of almost 10% in the number of households supported. That is 1,757 households helped to either keep their home or…

An event held in Venice from August 18 to 25, organised by the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice (JCFJ) in Ireland, along with the Jesuit European Social Centre in Brussels and Aggiornamenti Sociali in Milan, emphasised the potential contributions of religious individuals to public life. The Faith and Politics Workshop brought together young people…

A new secretary general for the Association of Leaders of Missionaries and Religious of Ireland (AMRI) was appointed. Gerard Gallagher has been a staff member of AMRI working on communications and membership services. “I am delighted to take on this appointment.  AMRI has a great number of Religious ministering both in Ireland and on the…

Exclusive The Archdiocese of Dublin is set to spend €25 million approximately on the much-needed refurbishment of St Mary’s Pro Cathedral in the heart of Dublin City Centre, well-placed sources can reveal. The significant injection of funds comes as part of Archbishop Dermot Farrell’s new ‘twin pillar’ strategy which centres on St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral and St…

For the very first time, the relics of St Bernadette of Lourdes will be on a pilgrimage to Ireland. The relics will visit every diocese in the country from September 4 to November 5. Each diocese will have their own schedule to celebrate the saint. Fr Gerard Fox, spokesperson for the Saint Bernadette Relic Pilgrimage…

Ireland’s most recently professed nun has encouraged those contemplating religious life, something that she recognises might be profoundly countercultural in 2024, to “listen to your own heart” and “have the courage to take the risk” to explore that call as if it is the path for you “you’ll find deep peace and fulfilment”. Speaking to…