Farewell Mass on course for Phoenix Park Greg Daly and Chai Brady   Pope Francis’ farewell Mass to the Irish people next August is very likely to be held in the Phoenix Park The Irish Catholic understands. Discussions have been taking place between World Meeting of Families (WMOF18) organisers with State authorities and planners hope…

Fellow sportsmen, sports organisations, friends and members of the public have offered their prayers to a prominent Irish footballer who is undergoing chemotherapy. Liam Miller (36), who won 21 caps for the Republic of Ireland (RoI) between 2004 and 2009 and played midfield for Celtic and Manchester United, is battling pancreatic cancer. Social media was…

There are set to be sharp divisions when members of the hierarchy discuss a plan that could see Irish Catholics absolved from the requirement to attend Mass on two traditional major feastdays, The Irish Catholic understands. The Irish bishops’ conference is currently considering a proposal that would reduce the importance of both All Saints’ Day…

It is almost unjust and unchristian to speak of economic success at a time when homelessness has reached unprecedented levels in Ireland, Bishop Brendan Leahy has said. In a letter read in Limerick churches ahead of the Church’s first World Day of the Poor, Bishop Leahy noted how Irish homelessness has been a crisis for…

Dozens of Churches across Ireland will be lit in red this coming Wednesday to highlight the suffering of Christians around the world. This is the the first time the event will be held in Ireland, and already 30 parishes have pledged to join the demonstration on November 22. So far some of Ireland’s largest Catholic…

Time is running out for young people to have their say ahead of next year’s Synod of Bishops in Rome. The October 2018 Synod of Bishops, following on recent synods on the family and on the New Evangelisation, is on the theme of ‘Youth, Faith and Vocational Discernment’, and in connection with this youth.synod2018.va is…

Over 150 locations to congregate have been identified for an event aimed at promoting the Faith and the protection of the unborn. ‘Rosary on the Coast for Life and Faith’, organised by lay people, will see Faithful from across Ireland gather to recite the rosary on the coast. It was inspired by similar gatherings in…

Catholic Church officials have quelled speculation that the placement of a memorial for the 1987 Enniskillen bombing on Church ground was blocked because there was a poppy in the design. Monsignor Joseph McGuinness from the Diocese of Clogher said the memorial was a way to provide comfort and solace and bring the community together in…

The Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) has welcomed plans for a meeting between representatives of the ACP and the Irish Episcopal Conference (IEC). The meeting, proposed for Monday, January 15, follows a request from Fr Brendan Hoban for such a meeting ahead of next August’s proposed visit by Pope Francis to the World Meeting of…

Rosary for borders event to preserve Faith and protect unborn Irish Faithful are being asked to pray for the preservation of the Faith and the protection of life at all stages along Ireland’s coastline, in an event that mirrors other international demonstrations. ‘Rosary on the Coasts for Life and Faith’ is similar to ‘Rosary at…