The chief executive of homeless charity the Peter McVerry Trust has said the crisis of homelessness is now “out of control”. Reacting to newly released figures showing that those living in emergency accommodation are at their highest since records began, Pat Doyle said the effects of this reality are being felt by charities such as…

A member of the Missionaries of Charity kisses the tomb of Blessed Teresa of Kolkata on August 26 in celebration of her 106th birthday. Mother Teresa, founder of the Missionaries of Charity, will be canonised at the Vatican on September 4. Photo: CNS

A young father has spoken powerfully of how his faith helped him to cope with the tragic illness and death of his infant daughter.  Speaking to the Sunday Independent newspaper six months after the death of baby Mary, Co. Antrim man Rodney Beggs revealed the heartache that came with being informed by doctors that his…

Sometimes leaders learn more from crowds than from polls about how passionately people are feeling something, and in his preface to a new biography of Benedict XVI, Francis suggests crowds have taught him that ordinary Catholics are just fine with the two-Pope arrangement. Arthur Schlesinger once said that President John F. Kennedy could look at…

The newly crowned Rose of Tralee has spoken of the importance of Catholic education in shaping her life.  Still getting used to her place in the limelight after her success at the annual gathering, Chicago native Maggie McEldowney revealed in one of her earliest interviews: “My faith is a very important part of my life.” …

Voters have delivered a new political landscape, writes Paul Keenan

All the fighting factions in Colombia must be involved in the peace process which cannot just be an agreement among leaders, but must come from the people too, according to two Comboni missionaries in Ireland. Fr Rubén Padilla Rocha based in the Dublin Comboni Missionary office which supports some projects in Colombia, said he had…

Staff reporter Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral Mass of former Tánaiste, Peter Barry on Monday at St Michael’s Church in Blackrock, Cork. Chief celebrant Fr Kieran Twomey recalled he first met Peter Barry when he brought him Holy Communion at home. “He had tremendous respect and because he couldn’t stand on his feet he said…

Irish missionary Fr Shay Cullen has been named as the recipient of the 2016 Hugh O’Flaherty International Humanitarian Award. The Columban priest is famed for his work with the poor in the Philippines since 1969, where he established the PREDA Foundation to promote human rights, justice and peace. A champion of the young, he is…

Sr Maire McAteer of St Joseph, the youngest professed Sister in the Diocese of Down & Connor pictured with her parents Pauline and Felix, her brother Ruairi  and his girlfriend Erin Wray.  The ceremony of First Profession of Sr Maire, who hails from from Aghyaran, Co. Tyrone took place in the Adoration Convent, Falls Road,…