Tomorrow, Friday June 20, we celebrate the feast of the Irish martyrs. Between 1579 and 1654, 17 Irish martyrs, men and women, lay and clerical, were put to death for their Catholic faith. They were beatified by Pope St John Paul II in 1992. Their names were: Patrick O’Healy OFM; Con O’Rourke OFM; Matthew Lambert;…

Practising a religious faith boosts hope, resilience, and wellbeing according to major new research, confirming the findings of previous studies reported in this paper. The new study comes from Harvard University, and commenting on it one of Ireland’s leading psychiatrists, Professor Patricia Casey told this paper: “Basically what the Church is teaching is actually common…

A priest who volunteered at Lough Derg and studied in Rome has been remembered by friends and Church leaders as “a hero” and “a good shepherd” on the anniversary of his martyrdom. Fr Ragheed Ganni, a Chaldean Catholic priest from Mosul, was murdered by extremists on June 3 2007 after celebrating Mass with his parishioners.…

Daniel O’Donnell’s final show before he takes an extended break will take place in St Mary’s Church Kincasslagh on December 21. The proceeds will be donated to support the church and local school, Scoil Mhuire, Belcruit. Patricia Swan, Personal Assistant and Tour Manager for the singer told The Irish Catholic this concert “has been something…

Seventeen early medieval manuscripts linked to Irish monastic missionaries have returned to Ireland for the first time in over a millennium, as part of a landmark exhibition at the National Museum of Ireland. The exhibition, Words on the Wave: Ireland and St Gallen in Early Medieval Europe, opened May 30 at the museum’s Kildare Street…

Newry Cathedral Parish is facing more than a million debt, which could potentially result in the historical churches’ closure. Calling for the parishioners’ support to overcome the £1.4 million debt, volunteers from the Parish Pastoral Council and Finance Committee spoke during Pentecost across the parish, launching a ‘Parish Renewal Campaign’. “The call is not only…

Msgr La Flynn, Prior at Lough Derg expressed his “deep sorrow” to the victims, following the conclusion of the court case which sentenced a former Lough Derg worker who sexually harassed women to a four-year jail term. Tomas Gallagher asked the victims to help him “repair washing machines”, deceiving them before sexually harassing. He pleaded…

A Donegal Councillor is calling for a new bank holiday in honour of St Colmcille to be established in Ireland. Cllr Jimmy Kavanagh presented the idea to Donegal County Council in a recent council meeting. Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Cllr Kavanagh said Ireland is “almost three days below the EU average” in the number…