Religious faith ought to be a protest against consumerist culture and “ensure that we do not substitute the politically correct for genuine values”, according to Archbishop Michael Neary. In his homily for the annual Reek Sunday pilgrimage, the Archbishop of Tuam said the acid test of any society or faith “is the care it takes of…

Tyrone senior football manager Mickey Harte was guest speaker at the recent Michaela Camp in Derry. The Michaela Foundation was established by John McAreavey to honour the life and values of his wife Michaela McAreavey after her tragic murder during their honeymoon in 2011. It runs summer camps across the island of Ireland to help…

Staff reporter Internationally acclaimed spiritual singer and author Nóirín Ní Riain is to lead two spiritual retreats at the renowned Benedictine monastery Glenstal Abbey in Co. Limerick. The songstress, who holds a PhD in Theology, told The Irish Catholic the retreats are an opportunity to “chill out” in a “very spiritual and special place”. The…

The death has taken place of Fr Conleth (Joseph) O’Hara, CP, the last surviving member of a well-known Bangor, Co. Down family of 10 of whom all eight brothers were ordained priests. Fr Conleth, aged 86, died at St Joseph’s  Retreat, Highgate London on July 18 and a Memorial Mass was celebrated there on Monday…

The Rose of Tralee has insisted that she has always felt welcome at Mass despite her homosexuality. Maria Walsh, who won last year’s pageant, said she has “never been turned away” from a Catholic Church and has a “really great relationship” with the parish priest in her hometown of Shrule in Co. Mayo. The 28-year-old,…

A weekend retreat for consecrated men and women was held in All Hallows College in Dublin as part of the celebration of the ‘Year for Consecrated Life’. Sr Briege McKenna opened the retreat asking “If we added together the years of consecrated life lived by all of us here in this room, how could we…

The group Faith in Marriage Equality (FIME), which campaigned for a ‘yes’ vote in the same-sex marriage referendum,  has described a recent meeting with Archbishop Eamon Martin as a “positive step to open dialogue with the Catholic Church”. Dr Richard O’Leary of FIME said the group was “positively received” by the archbishop at his residence…

A priest among a group of hillwalkers from the Diocese of Ferns who survived the devastating earthquake in Nepal was “astounded” by people’s generosity in helping to raise over €170,000 for relief efforts in the country. Fr Tom Dalton was one of eight people from Wexford who had just landed in Nepal when the earthquake…

Corrymeela, Northern Ireland’s oldest reconciliation community, will celebrate 50 years of peace-making with a unique summer festival from Friday, July 31 to Sunday, August 2 at its centre in Ballycastle, Co. Antrim. Aperture is a festival of diversity, arts, debate, politics, faith, music and celebration. There will be panel discussions on human rights, the Good…

Social media site Twitter exploded over the weekend with users posting about what it was like growing up as a Catholic. The hashtag #growingupcatholic was trending in Ireland for a time over the weekend, while tweeters posted fond memories of their youth. Most people tweeted about their experiences at Mass, the sacraments and religion class…