The move by Pope Francis to put two dioceses in the west under the leadership of a single bishop is just the first phase of structural rationalisation in the Church in Ireland, The Irish Catholic understands. The Pontiff indicated last week that when Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora Brendan Kelly retires shortly, the diocese…
Dublin archdiocese is hopeful that parishes could be in line for an insurance payout to make up for lost collections when churches were forced to suspend Masses by the Government. According to the recently-filed 2020 financial report for the parishes, the archdiocese “considers there is a valid claim under the business interruption clause of the…
A recent poll found that the majority of people believe that women should be informed about alternatives to abortion before going ahead with the procedure, with Pro-Life Campaign spokesperson Eilís Mulroy saying women are currently being “kept in the dark about abortion alternatives”. An Amárach poll commissioned by the PLC found that 89% of 1,000…
An upcoming conference, Concerned about Covid-19 Vaccines?, is seeking to dispel the confusion that’s gathered around the safety and morality of Covid-19 vaccines from a Catholic and scientific perspective, according to one of the panellists, Dr Orla Nolan. Speaking to The Irish Catholic newspaper, Senior Clinical Pharmacist and experienced medical safety assessor Dr Nolan said…
A Polish, Catholic Olympian who auctioned her silver medal in August to pay for eight-month-old Miłosz’s heart surgery, was reunited with the happy boy earlier this week following the successful surgery. Maria Andrejczyk, a devout Catholic, who credits her adherence to the Faith to her upbringing, offered to auction off the silver medal she won…
A bishop of the Syro-Malabar Rite is set to intervene in a dispute within the Eastern Catholic community in Cork, The Irish Catholic understands. The move comes after a protest by members of the congregation took place last Sunday outside a Cork church where they gather for liturgy. Cork The bishop is to arrive in Cork next…
The Irish bishops’ conference has confirmed that each individual bishop will give “careful consideration” on how to implement Traditionis Custodes, the Pope’s motu proprio on the Traditional Latin Mass. The conference’s press office stated that the motu proprio, which introduced new restrictions on the TLM or Extraordinary Form, was discussed by the Irish bishops at…
New guidelines on funeral ministry in the diocese of Cork and Ross call for the introduction of funeral ministry teams in all parishes. The guidelines also update regulations around the repose of the deceased in a church, warning that churches are not to be used as funeral homes. The changes come after extensive collaboration between…
The former First Minister of the North of Ireland Arlene Foster has said that having a strong Christian faith means “you can’t just leave it at home” as a politician. Speaking at the St Patrick Centre in Downpatrick, Co. Down, Ms Foster said: “Christianity doesn’t call you to be neutral. It calls you to be…
Labour’s education spokesman Aodhán Ó Ríordáin was greeted with sustained applause after he shouted “let’s get them out” in relation to parish-owned Catholic schools. He made the call at the party’s annual conference at the weekend. He said that the practice of religious patronage of schools needed to be ended, adding: “If that requires a referendum we should do it…
Chai Brady
Ruadhán Jones