Bishop Denis Brennan marked the departure of the Adoration Sisters from Bride Street Church in Wexford with a homily praising them for their “commitment and dedication”. The sisters were present in the convent for 144 years. The historic building will be made into a residence for American students. The group of enclosed nuns was established…

Plans proposed by a Government body to place all children in mainstream schools, including those with special needs, has been dubbed “catastrophic” and “not possible”. The recommendation from the National Council for Special Education’s (NCSE) for a ‘total inclusion model’ would see children placed in mainstream school regardless of the level of their disability. Principal…

The Cathedral parish in Armagh has introduced contactless payments to meet the needs of parishioners as more and more people don’t carry cash. A new free standing portal was installed in St Patrick’s Cathedral, with Administrator Fr Peter McAnenly saying it will help support the demands of the parish. Fr McAnenly said: “It is a…

True Christmas spirit will be felt on the streets of Cork City in the run-up to Christmas Eve, as hundreds of students from 22 schools across the city don the familiar yellow jackets and rally the troops for the annual SHARE (Students Harness Aid for the Relief of the Elderly) fundraising effort. The iconic SHARE…

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McGagh   Northern Ireland’s bishops have said new abortion laws in Northern Ireland are “unjust” and that no one is obliged to cooperate with them. Currently there is a regulatory framework in place in the North that governs abortion provision until more permanent legislation is expected to be introduced in three months. “The new…

The company tasked with setting up and running the World Meeting of Families (WMOF) in Ireland is to be put into voluntary liquidation after losses of €4.56m last year. The decision is believed to have been made by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin and others after various fundraising initiatives across Ireland failed to meet costs. The document…

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has said he believes someone with more energy needs to take over the archdiocese, as he is set to send the Pope his letter of resignation on his 75th birthday, in April 2020. During an interview on Newstalk’s Pat Kenny Show, Archbishop Martin said there are many priests doing great work in…

A gambling consultation launched by the Northern Irish government has been welcomed by charities who say the current law is “not fit for purpose” and is leading to “suffering”. Launched by the Department of Communities (DfC) it runs from December 16, 2019 to February 21, 2020 and consults the public and stakeholders as to the…

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 McGagh   The Dublin City University chaplain has stated he would like students to have a choice of food on campus after their SU has moved to move beef off the menu. “Personally, I would like to see the option for those who wish to be vegetarian and for those who wish to eat…

A documentary about Irish rosary priest Venerable Patrick Peyton has been awarded ‘best documentary’ at a Christian film festival in the US. Pray: The Story of Patrick Peyton won the award at the 2nd Annual God Country Family Christian Film Festival held in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Patrick Peyton was born on January 9, 1909 in…