Homilies still have the power to move the hearts and minds of listeners, priests across Ireland have said. Their comments come against the background of international praise for a “passionate” and stirring sermon by a US Episcopalian bishop who spoke last weekend at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Commenting on Bishop…
Category: Irish News
Faith seen as support for for Jastine’s devastated family
The chaplain where tragic Jastine Valdez [pictured] attended college has said the tightknit community of students is devastated by the news of her death. Sr Bernadette Purcell – who has spoken to Jastine’s mother – said the family is “devastated” by what happened to the 23-year-old but said she believed “their Faith will help them…
Former Taoiseach donates money to Dublin churches
Former Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave has left more than €33 million in his will, including €6,000 for Masses to be said for his soul. The Dublin politician, who died last October aged 97, had inherited the property from his father, WT Cosgrave, the first prime minister of the Irish Free State, and refused to sell it…
Health Minister accused of ‘serious ignorance’ after Church criticism
A theology scholar has said Minister Simon Harris expressed “serious ignorance” about Church teaching after criticising a bishop’s decision to stop an atheist politician from being a Confirmation sponsor. After reports that Minister of State John Halligan was barred from being a sponsor because of his atheism and public promotion of repealing the Eighth Amendment,…
Don’t allow guilty bishops to ‘walk away’ – Collins
Chilean prelates guilty of concealing abuse must be held to account for their actions, and cannot simply be allowed to “resign and walk away”, leading child protection campaigner Marie Collins has said. Noting how Chile’s entire hierarchy has offered to resign following an investigation into clerical abuse and cover-up in the South American country, Mrs…
Papal visit could ‘bring healing to North’ – Baroness O’Loan
Former Police Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan has appealed for Pope Francis to visit the North during his trip to Ireland for the World Meeting of Families this summer, saying he could bring ‘healing’ to the region. Her suggestion, however, met with a cool reaction, with Vatican officials seemingly feeling it would be difficult to include a…
Northern pro-lifers lament SDLP’s conflicted stance
Pro-life campaigners have reacted with scepticism to the SDLP’s decision to retain its pro-life policy while allowing members to campaign for pro-choice policies. The party decided at a conference on Saturday to adopt a formal position of being pro-life, but with individual members allowed to choose their own stance on abortion as a matter of…
Mental health among youth is major concern
The founder of the suicide prevention charity Pieta House has said it is important to remember the human stories behind mental health statistics. New figures have revealed that almost 17,000 children between five and 17 are waiting over a year to see a psychologist. The charity’s founder Joan Freeman said that many parents and children…
News in brief
Well-known church reopens Knock Parish Church and Apparition Chapel reopened on Friday, May 18, after having been closed for months for refurbishment works. Both the church and Apparition Chapel have been closed since last October to make way for complete refurbishment. Speaking about the refurbishment, Fr Richard Gibbons, PP, Rector of Knock Shrine said: “The Parish Church…
Pilgrims prepare for ecumenical WWI pilgrimage
Archbishop Eamon Martin and the Church of Ireland Archbishop Richard Clarke will lead people of varying ages and backgrounds on pilgrimage next week. To mark the centenary of World War I Protestants and Catholics will visit historic and poignant sites relating to the war. It will culminate in a reflective visit to the Island of…