Following the publication of the General Estates on Religious Heritage report, French bishops are spearheading efforts to restore historic churches, not only to preserve architectural treasures but also to renew interest in the faith. Across France, from Marseille to rural Normandy, communities are celebrating the revival of their Catholic heritage. On February 2, restoration work…
The Shroud of Turin will be digitally showcased during the Holy Year 2025, allowing visitors to engage with the revered relic like never before. The shroud, a linen cloth many believe is the burial shroud of Jesus Christ and bears his image, traditionally draws thousands of pilgrims during rare public displays. While there will be…
“I am hoping that the Spirit will be very busy here,” said Bishop Donal Roche as he opened the Life in the Spirit Seminar (LSS) in the Our Lady of Good Counsel parish hall. This initial meeting marked the beginning of a seven-week series, organised by the St Colmcille Parish Partnership in South Dublin, bringing…
An answered prayer for local communities The recent launch of two new St Pauls’ stores in Letterkenny and Derry is an exciting event for the local communities. These openings come at a time when many people in Donegal and Northern Ireland were feeling the loss of the Veritas stores. “There is a need for spiritual…
A recent study has shown that ‘spiritual boredom’ can deter people from religious practices. This study by the Universities of Vienna and Sussex, was first published in the specialist journal, Communications Psychology. Lead researcher, Thomas Götz advised church leaders to pay more attention to this phenomenon and to counteract it with more appealing sermons. “The…
St John Paul II’s example as a strong bridge-builder between Catholicism and Judaism should be used against enduring antisemitism, especially in the wake of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel that killed 1,200 people, according to a theologian and papal biographer George Weigel. He gave a keynote address to 230 people closing a…
The awakening of Ireland’s Catholic identity The flame of faith in Ireland was enkindled once more during the recent National Eucharistic Procession, which took place in Athlone on 16 March. Nearly 2,000 people gathered for the event, according to the organising team. “Don’t you feel a renewed hope and optimism within the faithful Catholic community…
“Thirty years ago, the secularisation thesis taught us that religion was heading toward museum piece status in the West. That thesis has not aged well, Dr Anna Rowlands has said, adding “religion is far from a museum piece and continues to exist, in evolving forms, as a complex, multi-layered and dynamic reality in our current…
The national launch of the ‘Ministry of Catechist’ is expected this September with a six-month preparation phase before candidates enter formal formation in 2026, The Irish Catholic has learned. Dr Alexander O’Hara, who was the National Director for Catechetics until a few weeks ago told The Irish Catholic the role is a formal lay ministry…
The snakes have returned to Ireland—at least, that’s the concern raised by Fr Patrick Moore, who sees An Post’s latest St Patrick’s Day stamp design as a troubling sign of the country’s increasing secularisation. In a letter to The Irish Catholic, Fr Moore PP of Castlepollard, Co. Westmeath, lamented that despite St Patrick famously driving…
Renata Milán Morales
Chai Brady