Positive trends in poverty reduction are being out-paced by the effects of widening conflicts and climate change, Trócaire said at the launch of the organisation’s annual report for the year 1 March 2014 – 28 February 2015. Nonetheless, the charity announced that over the past 12 months, its development and emergency programmes have helped approximately…

Preparations are underway in Westport parish to host thousands of pilgrims expected to brave the climb up Croagh Patrick for the annual Reek Sunday pilgrimage. “We have been preparing for the last few months and are looking forward to it. It is always a high point of the parish calendar and for the people of…

St John Vianney parish in Dublin’s Artane is celebrating the 200th anniversary of the ordination of St John Vianney, patron saint of priests, with a novena from August 4-13. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin will be the chief celebrant at the opening Mass at 10am on August 4, the feast of St John Vianny, and the concluding…

Vatican watchdog surveyed the college on its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats

Christian mother-of-five Asia Bibi went before Pakistan’s Supreme Court yesterday, Wednesday July 22, to appeal against the death penalty which she faces after accusations of blasphemy. In June 2009, some fellow agricultural workers with whom Ms Bibi had argued claimed that in their row she had insulted Mohammed. Ms Bibi denied this, saying that the…

Members of the Rise of the Roses initiative with Fr Aodhán Marken Adm. and the Adoration Sisters in Wexford planting a rose in the convent garden to mark their visit, which is part of an island-wide tour of religious orders to encourage young women to consider a religious vocation.

Spanish priest killed in Columbian church Fr Luis Alfonso León Pereira, a popular Spanish priest who had worked for 48 years in Columbia, was murdered in the sacristy just before celebrating Mass on Wednesday, July 15. The priest was killed by a homeless man who entered Montería’s church of St Mary Mother of the Church…

Bishop of Limerick Brendan Leahy has expressed his hope that that the further involvement of lay Catholics in response to the fall off in priestly vocations will serve to bring the Church closer together. Bishop Leahy said that Limerick Catholics are responding to the call to play a greater role in pastoral ministry by showing…

European integration and unity has brought Europe’s peoples peace, security and prosperity, but these successes need to protected, according to a European bishops’ commission. Speaking on behalf of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community, Munich’s Cardinal Reinhard Marx expressed relief that a bailout package had prevented Greece from abandoning the Euro…

Jesuit campaigner Fr Peter McVerry has warned that young people who are “disinterested” in the Church are the “prophets of today” and should not be blamed for “straying”. Speaking at this year’s SMA Summer School in Newry, Fr McVerry said that young people telling the Church that there is “something fundamentally wrong” with its message…