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…

The Dean of Kilfenora has expressed his surprise that Pope Francis has not moved to regularise its “anomalous” status as part of the diocese of Galway. Fr Conor Cunningham’s comments follow an announcement by the Vatican that the Pope has “ordered the formal union” of the metropolitan see of Cashel with the ancient diocese of…

Staff Reporter The NI Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) has won High Court permission to challenge the law in the North to allow abortion in cases of rape, incest or “serious malformation” of a foetus. A judge in Belfast granted leave on Monday to seek a judicial review of the organisation’s claims that the North’s current…

School buildings, convents, vestries, playing fields and associated lands across Ireland were handed over

The Vatican has named both Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin as the Irish Church’s representatives to October’s global meeting of Catholic bishops. The Vatican also named Archbishop-designate Kieran O’Reilly of Cashel and Emly as substitute. The Catholic Communications Office said that he “will only travel and participate in the…

Papal nuncio leads weekend celebrations in Co. Longford parish

To open the celebrations at the announcement of Fr John Sullivan SJ being made venerable, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin will celebrate a Mass in thanksgiving for his life and in prayer for his canonisation in St Francis Xavier Church, Gardiner Street, Dublin on Saturday, February 21 at 11am. There will be a blessing with the crucifix of…

Bishop William Crean has announced the Diocese of Cloyne is holding a Lenten series of prayer in central locations across the diocese. Each evening will last for one hour with time afterwards for refreshments and chat. Talks start at 8pm in Holy Family Hall, Youghal on Mondays, February 23, March 2 and March 9; in…

A leading Irish philosopher has strongly rebuked Stephen Fry’s controversial remarks about God. Fr Brendan Purcell, Adjunct Professor in Philosophy at Notre Dame University, Sydney accused the staunch atheist of “mixing up” what humans experience as bad with evil. Mr Fry evoked outrage when he described God as a “maniac”, “utterly monstrous” and “totally selfish”.…