Fr Joseph Yang Shuai with his father and brother, Yang Zihau and Yang Shuai Yu – who travelled from China -– and Msgr John Byrne, PP Portlaoise, at his ordination to the priesthood in St Peter and Paul’s Church, Portlaoise at the weekend, for service with the Divine Word Missionaries in Argentina.
Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has warned that true reform of the Church in Ireland will not come about by tinkering with structures, but only through a radical spiritual realignment. Speaking at the weekend, the archbishop also said that change can be hindered by the fact that many people who talk of reform “are still…
Experts have dismissed inaccurate media reports that the Vatican has issued a new ban on gluten-free Communion hosts, reassuring coeliacs that they can continue to receive the Eucharist. Over the weekend numerous news organisations across the world announced that the Vatican had banned the use of gluten-free bread in hosts, following the publication of a…
New procedures are being put in place for Reek Sunday this year so that people can continue to enjoy the annual pilgrimage while keeping safety as a priority. The traditional Reek Sunday pilgrimage up Croagh Patrick on July 30 is expected to attract tens of thousands of pilgrims once again this year, with many making…
The Church needs to show mercy in the context of new and more complex family narratives in modern Ireland, the cardinal tapped by Pope Francis to launch his major document on marriage and the family has said. Speaking ahead of his visit to Ireland this week to address Thursday’s ‘Let’s Talk Family: Let’s Be Family’…
Government challenged to act on rural GP crisis Independent TD Mattie McGrath has challenged the Government for inaction which he said is resulting in the slow death of rural GP practice. Deputy McGrath has asked Health Minister Simon Harris to clarify the steps he’s taking to address the ongoing crisis in declining numbers of rural…
Staff reporter All the schools in Killarney will nominate a specific ‘Hugh O’Flaherty Day’ this September, when they will include an activity based on the Kerryman’s life in their daily schedule. Msgr Hugh O’Flaherty, who worked in Rome during the Second World War, is thought to have been responsible for saving as many as 6,500…
The Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference has called for special collections at all Masses next weekend (July 22-23) to fund life-saving aid for people affected by the devastating hunger crisis in east-Africa. The money raised will be donated to Trócaire, the overseas development agency of the Irish Church, which is delivering emergency food, water and health…
Fr Aidan McGarth OFM has been chosen as the new provincial of the Irish Province of Franciscan friars after an election at Franciscan College, Gormanston in Co. Meath. Up to his election, Fr McGarth was General Secretary of the Franciscan Order in the General Curia in Rome. A native of Banbridge, Co. Down, he was…
The Bishop of Kildare & Leighlin is hosting what is believed to be the first Irish diocesan picnic next month, in an effort to reach out to all the families of the diocese and gather them together as a community. “The idea is that families from all over the 56 parishes would go to the…
Greg Daly
Mags Gargan