A lack of vocations and a combination of deaths, illnesses, and retirements in the Diocese of Kerry have left five of the dioceses’ 53 parishes without resident priests. Ballyheigue and Duagh join Valentia Island, Tarbert, and Allihies in west Cork, in being being served by priests in nearby pastoral areas, with the effect that in…
Bishop Anthony Farquhar, Ireland’s longest-serving bishop (ordained in 1983) who recently retired as Auxiliary Bishop of Down and Connor diocese, received the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters (DLitt) for distinguished services to Ulster University and the community. He is pictured here with Professor Deirdre Heenan Provost (Coleraine and Magee) and Dr James Nesbitt, Chancellor.…
Staff Reporter Veteran actor Samuel L. Jackson has thanked God for his stellar Hollywood career. As he picked up a lifetime achievement award at the annual Black Entertainment Television (BET) ceremony, the Jurassic Park, Star Wars and Pulp Fiction star offered his words of faith: “First I want to thank God for giving me this opportunity…
The US Catholic Bishops have condemned a ruling by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that health plans offered by religious bodies in the state of California are not exempt from the requirement to fund abortions. In a joint statement reacting to the ruling, which was prompted by the bishops’ own appeal against…
Conflict has erupted at Dublin’s Central Catholic Library over a proposal to transfer the library’s holdings to Dublin City University (DCU). The library board is split over the proposal, The Irish Catholic understands, and up to 50 library members met outside the library on June 22 to call for the company’s assets not to be…
A new “school of mission” in the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore will prioritise youth evangelisation and family ministry, Bishop Phonsie Cullinan has said. The new Holy Family School of Mission is set to open later this year at Glencomeragh House, formerly the Rosminian House of Prayer, and will be manned by three trained staff…
Fr Christopher McDermott pictured with his parents, Sean and Rosemary McDermott and brothers, Sean and Aidan McDermott and his sister Fidelma and her husband Gerard McNamee at his ordination for the Diocese of Derry at St Mary’s Church, Melmount, Strabane, Co. Tyrone. Photo: Stephen Latimer
A priest based in Belfast’s Ardoyne has expressed disappointment at a missed opportunity to broker a deal between the Orange Order and Catholic residents which would have led to the dismantling of a neighbouring Loyalist protest camp. Former Methodist president Rev. Harold Good, who witnessed the decommissioning of IRA weapons in 2005 with Fr Alec…
Overcrowded prisons criticised The Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice has welcomed the “considerable progress” shown in the Irish Prison Service annual report, which was launched this week, but said “chronic overcrowding” still needs to be addressed. Overcrowding continues in the Dóchas Centre, Cork prison and Limerick men and women’s prison, said Eoin Carroll, Advocacy Officer in the…
Education remains the key element in tackling Ireland’s binge drinking, a spokesman for the bishops’ body on alcohol awareness has said. Speaking to The Irish Catholic this week following the release of dramatic new figures for Irish people’s annual consumption of alcohol, Darren Butler, national co-ordinator of the Irish Bishops’ Drugs Initiative said that educating…
Cathal Barry
Mags Gargan
Greg Daly
Courtney McGrail
Paul Keenan