The parish priest of the Co. Meath winner of the Rose of Tralee has said the community is very proud of her achievement. Meath Rose Elysha Brennan (pictured, 22) from Bettystown, was crowned the 56th Rose of Tralee at the international festival in Kerry last week. Fr Denis McNelis, PP of Laytown-Mornington parish, told The…

Pope keeps out of Falklands dispute Pope Francis has no intention of intervening between Britain and Argentina over the Falklands Islands’ disputed ownership, the Vatican’s press office has clarified.  During a general audience on August 19, a group of Argentinians gave Pope Francis a sign reading: “It is time for dialogue between Argentina and the United Kingdom about the Falkland…

Cardinal Timothy Dolan said it was an “honour”, “a joy” and “a privilege” to open the novena Our Lady of Knock, at a shrine that was “so dear” to him. “I can only hope you understand how much I love Ireland – love all of you – and thank you for this privilege of opening…

Bishop Kevin Doran has insisted that it is part of the Church’s mission to support families living in difficult circumstances. “I’m not sure that there is any such thing as an ideal family,” the Bishop of Elphin told those gathered in Knock at the weekend. “Every family has its limitations and many families today face…

The papal nuncio to Ireland has said that young Irish Catholics need “to have the courage to be different” and rebel against a society that “is distancing itself from God”. Speaking at the closing Mass of the Youth 2000 Summer Festival in Roscrea on Sunday, Archbishop Charles Brown told the over 1,000 young people that…

Fr Robert McCabe pictured with boat crew, refectory, reception, kitchen and laundry staff near the Bell Tower at St Patrick’s Purgatory, Lough Derg following their staff Mass in memory of Fr Ragheed Ganni – murdered by Islamic extremists continue to suffer because of their faith.

Children’s Minister James Reilly knew of controversial cuts in funding for Catholic marriage preparation courses four months in advance, according to reports. The scraping of €378,000 in funding to Accord was announced in May during the same-sex marriage referendum campaign.  However, according to The Sunday Business Post, the minister was briefed about the cuts days…

A prominent Belfast priest has said that internment, which is commemorated by marches in the North this month, effectively marked the end of British rule in Northern Ireland because it facilitated torture. Internment was a British army operation in the North in August 1971, when 342 Catholics suspected of being involved with the IRA were…

A senior Presentation nun has defended the order’s decision to spend €10 million on a state of the art visitor centre in Cork to honour their founder, the Venerable Nano Nagle. Sr Bride Given said the order had “difficulty” deciding whether to invest the money in the tourist centre or to donate the cash to…