The historic synod gathering in Rome which gets underway next week, being seen as the most significant Church gathering this century, is a “big moment” for the Church in Ireland to galvanise the Faithful to communicate “the richness of our tradition”, Irish participants have said. However, the Synod of Bishops on Synodality which begins on…
Believers have been given the opportunity to find God “in the joy of discovery” and in the “elegance of the way that the Creator actually made this wonderful universe,” according to papal astronomer Bro. Guy Consolmagno SJ following NASA’s successful Osiris-Rex mission. NASA’s first-ever samples of an asteroid in deep space landed safely on Earth…
Christians in the Holy land must be free to worship without the threat of violence or provocation, the Tánaiste has said. Tánaiste Mícheal Martin’s comments come after he met with the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem and visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which houses the tomb of Christ, during his visit to the…
A prominent pro-life spokeswoman in Northern Ireland has struck a defiant tone as the date was confirmed for “Safe Access Zones” at abortion providers across Northern Ireland. The exclusion zones come into effect September 29 and apply to a number of hospitals and centres across the North, with the intention of deterring pro-life presence outside…
A 1922 pastoral letter from the Irish bishops caused “hurt and anguish” among families about the Irish Civil War, which has lasted down to today, Archbishop Eamon Martin has said. Speaking at the annual conference of the Catholic Historical Society of Ireland, the Primate of All-Ireland said that the bishops’ failure to “publicly speak out…
Bishop Michael Router has warned that men have “slowly but surely slipped out of the picture,” when it comes to promoting the Faith in Ireland. For so long, Bishop Router said, professing faith was left solely to the women of Ireland. “They have done a remarkable job, and we are indebted to the women in…
Speculation that Mary Immaculate College (MIC) could merge with University of Limerick (UL) is “rife” among staff, sources have told The Irish Catholic. The speculation comes after President Eugene Wall announced his retirement at the end of the forthcoming academic year in an email to staff. Prof. Wall’s five year tenure comes to an end…
Hitting cinemas this week with an all-star cast, The Miracle Club follows a group of women from Dublin travelling to Lourdes on a pilgrimage. Set in 1967, famous actresses Maggie Smith and Kathy Bates play best friends Lily (Smith) and Eileen (Bates) who are preparing to journey from Dublin to the sacred destination in the…
The diocese of Killaloe has announced a year-long initiative to encourage young men to consider a vocation to the priesthood. A multimedia promotional campaign across the counties of Clare, Limerick, Tipperary, Offaly and Laois is underway, to be followed up by parish visits. While just over half of the diocese’s 58 parishes have a resident…
The failure to consult parents about new regulations on Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) in the North has caused “massive anger,” according to Baroness Nuala O’Loan writing in this week’s edition of The Irish Catholic. Noting that education is a devolved matter for the Assembly, the former Police Ombudsman writes that when a law was introduced…
Ruadhán Jones