Fine Gael to push ahead on referendum The visit of Pope Francis for the World Meeting of Families is set to be overshadowed by the Government’s likely push for a referendum on abortion next year, senior Church sources have indicated to The Irish Catholic. Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar – the man tipped by many…

A Belfast church is set to open a soup kitchen service for the city’s homeless, in response to Pope Francis’ call to reach out to those in need with concrete acts of mercy. St Patrick’s Church in Donegall Street hosted a Mass of Hope for Belfast’s homeless community on Wednesday and will begin distributing food…

Limerick’s diocesan day of lay-led liturgies has been a big success, according to early reports. The morning of Tuesday, April 25, saw lay-led liturgies of the word in every Limerick parish, while diocesan clergy were away on in-service formation. “There were about 150 to 200 people in the cathedral,” Noirín Lynch of the Diocesan Pastoral…

Staff reporter Irish priests have welcomed Pope Francis’ decision to celebrate a Mass for modern martyrs while wearing the stole of a martyred former student of the Irish College in Rome. “I think it’s very significant,” Fr Gerard Magee, chaplain at Queen’s University Belfast, said of the Pope’s decision to wear Fr Ragheed Ganni’s stole…

McGuinness praised in New York as man of peace Martin McGuinness was “a man of history, a man of destiny, a man of peace”, according to Msgr Robert Ritchie, who celebrated the late Deputy First Minister’s month’s mind Mass on Monday in St Patrick’s Cathedral, New York. Delivering a eulogy at the service, in which…

The two Bishops of Derry are undertaking a 30-mile walk this week in honour of the city’s patron, St Columba, and to promote reconciliation within their community. Bishop Donal McKeown and CofI Bishop Ken Good begin their journey today at St Columba’s birthplace at Gartan in Co. Donegal and their destination is St Augustine’s Church…

An Irish priest working in Paris has said that living under the threat of terrorist attacks has become the new reality for the people of France. Fr Dwayne Gavin, chaplain to the Irish Community in Paris, told The Irish Catholic that there was a sense that the latest terrorist shooting was “inevitable” and “it’s going…

A leading canon lawyer has warned that prenuptial agreements could invalidate marriages, as farmers have indicated their support for such agreements being introduced into Irish law. Research from Macra na Feirme conducted at livestock marts over recent weeks has found that 72% of surveyed farmers believe prenuptial agreements should have a place in Irish law,…

Staff reporter About half of the current seven vacancies in the Irish hierarchy will likely be filled by candidates proposed by the outgoing Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Charles Brown, according to Vatican sources. Currently there are seven of Ireland’s 26 dioceses awaiting the appointment of a new bishop. Sources in Rome this week indicated to The…

Staff reporter There is no possibility of women being ordained “at the present time” Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown has signalled an openness to women priests, though insisted that there is no possibility of women being ordained “at the present time”. Dr McKeown – who was appointed Bishop of Derry by Pope Francis in 2014…