A Derry priest spent a night in hospital after he fell off a roof at his parochial house while trying to make repairs. Fr Paddy O’Kane, who serves in the Holy Family parish in Derry’s Ballymagroarty, was repairing a hole in a flat roof beside his parochial house at the weekend when he slipped and…

Homeless people in Rome will soon be able to head to the Vatican for a free shave and haircut. According to the Italian news agency ANSA, haircuts and shaves will be available to those less fortunate on Mondays. In Italy, barbershops are traditionally closed on Mondays, allowing for volunteer barbers to donate their time. The…

Staff Reporter A Kilkenny priest is keeping a document that connects actor George Clooney to Ireland under lock and key until the film star comes to visit this summer. Fr Nicholas Flavin confirmed to The Irish Catholic this week that he was in possession of the baptismal record of the Oscar winner’s great-great-grandfather, Nicholas Clooney, who…

Pontifical council consider challenges for women Violence against women, cultural pressures regarding women’s physical appearance, attitudes that subjugate women or that ignore male-female differences and the growing alienation of women from the Church in some parts of the World are themes the Pontifical Council for Culture is set to explore. The council has chosen to discuss the theme, ‘Women’s Cultures:…

Archbishop Eamon Martin said renewal of faith in Ireland will be “nourished” by religious congregations

Religious carry candles in procession at the start of a Mass celebrated by Pope Francis to mark the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, February 2. The Mass in St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican also marked the World Day for Consecrated Life.

Lay faith-based missionary groups are coming together to form a new representative body, to pool resources and lobby for the needs of lay missionaries at home and abroad. Lay Mission Union Ireland (LMUI) is still in the planning stages, but the origins of the new body dates back to a meeting in 2013, when lay…

Actor evoked outrage when he described God as a “maniac”, “utterly monstrous” and “totally selfish”.

An inter-denominational festival aimed at promoting cross-community friendship and global generosity has been launched by Belfast’s Lord Mayor. Now in its third year, the 4 Corners Festival, which runs from January 29 to February 8, grew out of conversations between Fr Martin Magill, parish priest at Sacred Heart parish and Rev. Steve Stockman of Fitzroy Presbyterian…

The Government’s approach to the referendum raises questions about the nature of our democracy writes Greg Daly