Breda O’Brien has warned that Catholic schools face a growing formation gap, linking the weakening of school ethos to declining literacy, confidence, and engagement with Scripture. Speaking on the Education Nation podcast, the teacher and Irish Times columnist argued that the challenges facing Catholic education do not stem from a lack of goodwill among teachers,…
In an era of constant distraction, one of the greatest challenges facing married couples is learning how to be truly present to one another. Mike and Rose Curtin of Catholic Marriage Encounter say modern technology has quietly reshaped how couples relate. “You can’t be present to another person when you’re present to other people on…
Last week, it was announced that the State-led forensic excavation at the former mother and baby home site in Tuam has so far uncovered the remains of infants buried in coffins in an area historically identified as a burial ground, according to the Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam (ODAIT). In its most…
University students gathered on February 7 in the Hotel Riu Plaza, The Gresham in Dublin, for the 2026 Catholic Inter-varsity Ball, organised by Trinity College Laurentian Society. The event, which is in its third year, was attended by 107 young people. The evening started with Mass in St Saviour’s Church, followed by dinner and a…
The Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin has warned the faithful “not to be under any illusion” about the scale of change facing parish life, signalling that fewer Masses and an increase in lay-led liturgies will become a defining feature of the diocese in the years ahead. In a pastoral letter issued in February, Bishop Denis…
After a recent meeting with Pope Leo, the CEO of support service and charity for sexual abuse survivors One in Four Ireland has called for a dialogue with the Church on how to better protect children in online spaces. Deirdre Kenny, who has worked with the charity for nearly 20 years, recently traveled to Rome…
The incoming archbishop of New York said on February 5 that he plans to emphasise the importance of evangelising as he takes charge of one of the biggest US archdioceses. “How do we actually be disciples, who do we make disciples?” Archbishop Ronald Hicks said during a news conference at St Patrick’s Cathedral, where his…
Passau Bishop Stefan Oster rejects key reform demands of the Synodal Path and the planned monitoring of their implementation. In his opinion, implementing the decisions would accelerate the disintegration of the Church in Germany, the bishop wrote in a blog post on February 4. Therefore, he cannot and will not go along with “essential ‘reform…
More than 300 people from parishes across the Diocese of Cork and Ross gathered in the Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne for a Songs of Praise celebration highlighting the role of music in prayer and worship. Choir directors, musicians, cantors and singers joined members of the wider faith community for an afternoon of…
Jesuit and abuse expert Hans Zollner sees the sexual abuse of nuns as “a burning issue.” At a press conference held by the Catholic charity Missio Aachen on Friday, Zollner said that, unlike ten years ago, the issue can now be discussed openly in many countries. Missio has contributed to ensuring that today, the discussion…
Renata Steffens