In the recent report ‘Strength in Diversity II’ released last week, The Immigrant Council of Ireland showed how one in three candidates coming from a migrant background experienced racism frequently during their campaign for the local elections in 2024. Fianna Fáil’s Cllr John-Kingsley Onwumereh told The Irish Catholic he experienced racism mainly on social media.…

In the wake of Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly announcing his intention to make contraceptives legal for 16-year-olds, although the legal age of consent in Ireland is 17, a member of a group that encourages young people to form healthy relationships in the Faith has said that young people “deserve better” than Government concession to…

Catholic patrons of primary schools are fully in favour of the reconfiguration of schools to better reflect the pluralist nature of society but this is being blocked by a discrimatory provision which forces (only) Catholic schools to take children whose families may not subscribe to the Catholic ethos, according to Alan Hynes, chief executive of…

The annual Peña Francia celebration took place in St Joseph’s, Berkeley Road, last Sunday in the church, with hundreds of devotees processing in the north inner city before Mass was celebrated by the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Dublin, Paul Dempsey. Our Lady of Penafrancia in Ireland, is an organisation to promote devotion to…

Religious communities have been a key presence among retailers, farmers, and businesses participating in the retail section of the National Ploughing Championships for many years. It is held annually over the course of three days and typically draws an audience of around 250,000 people. These attendees come from all corners of Ireland and beyond, from…

More than 600 people attended the annual Ceiliúradh Cois Life dinner last weekend in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium. The proceeds from the fundraising event, organised by the Pro Life Campaign, funds programmes for young people in the pro-life movement, like the Future Leaders Programme and Students for Life, as well as projects that assist pregnant and new…

Today in the presence of the relics of St Bernadette let us pray for a portion of her faith, her self-effacing good humour, her humility that somehow never faltered, and that unfailing patience and perseverance with people who misjudged her,” said Bishop Coll of Ossory during his homily for the reception of the relics of…

Ireland has welcomed the gifting of a painted replica of the sacred Weeping Virgin Mother of Győr, presented by His Excellency Bishop András Veres of Győr, Hungary, on a recent visit to the island. This gesture reaffirms the deep historical and spiritual bond between the Dioceses of Galway, Clonfert, and Győr – a connection that…

This month the Missionary Sisters of St Columban, also known as the Columban Sisters are celebrating one hundred years since their foundation. The milestone anniversary will be celebrated with Mass at Wicklow Parish on September 29 at 3pm and a reception afterwards. The Sisters’ history started in 1917 when Fr John Blowick talked about the…

Speaking for the first time on the matter of President Higgin’s letter to the new Iranian head of state, and his subsequent claim in New York that it was circulated by the Israeli embassy in Dublin, the Israeli Ambassador to Ireland Dana Erlich told The Irish Catholic that the President’s claims were a “baseless accusation”. …