After two days occupying the apostolic nunciature in Bogotá, protestors agreed to leave. They were protesting the violence of paramilitary groups against community leaders and Indigenous peoples and will now hold a meeting with the government about potential solutions. The group of about 15 activists got into the area on June 4, during a march…
Less than a week after Pope Francis called on people to recognise migrants as “a living image of God’s people on their way to the eternal homeland,” voters across Europe dealt a potentially serious blow to that vision by rewarding far-right, anti-immigrant parties in elections for the European parliament. While mainstream, pro-EU forces are still…
A national gathering will explore how black Catholics can “embrace the gifts” they bring to the church, particularly to the Mass, according to organisers. Some 300 are expected to attend the 2024 Lyke Conference, which takes place June 18 to 22 in Grapevine, Texas. The event, launched in 2004 and held annually for most of the years…
A sister from Manorcunningham, Co. Donegal has been appointed by Pope Francis as a Member of the Dicastery for Evangelisation, Section for First Evangelisation and New Particular Churches. Sr Mary T. Barron, is the Congregational Leader for the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles (OLA). The congregation considers the appointment to be “a great…
Eighty years ago, on June 6, 1944, the largest land, sea and air invasion ever attempted happened in Normandy, France. Allies combines forces to invade Nazi-occupied France, and the event is known as the ‘D-Day’. At the prayer service in Normandy to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the invasion, the Church of Ireland Archbishop of…
Catholic youth groups in Ireland have said they are experiencing a resurgence, drawing hundreds of young people to faith-based activities and community service. Bishop Fintan Gavin of Cork and Ross said the resurgence gives him hope: “I am very hopeful. We had last Sunday the Eucharistic procession and we had more than 4000 people. Many…
The recently appointed auxiliary Bishop of Dublin Paul Dempsey is to chair a group responsible for the pastoral renewal of Dublin City Centre, which will see two churches upgraded to Cathedral (St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral) and Minor Basilica status (St Andrew’s Westland Row) if approved by Rome. Substantial financial support is believed to be forthcoming for…
The Irish Church can learn from parishes in America who are responding to the housing crisis by opening unused rectories to Catholics according to a leading Irish ministry leader and speaker based in California. “They’re starting to lease those to elderly communities, so the elderly can have assisted living communities. Or in my locality, a…
The new Bishop of Down and Connor has celebrated Mass at the place where St Patrick landed in Ireland almost 1600 years ago. Bishop Alan McGuckian chose to go to Slieve Patrick, also known as Saul Mountain, Co. Down, to celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi and Day 4 of his new novena to the…
The Irish priest who heads up Vatican investigations into allegations of abuse has said he’d like to see more transparency in dealing with victims and their families. “If I had a child who was abused by a priest, I would want to know the status of the case.” “It’s a question that’s discussed in the…
Renata Steffens
Renata Milán Morales
Martina Purdy