The All-Ireland Rosary Rally drew an unprecedented crowd of around 7,000 people in its first post-pandemic outing, with over 40 buses bringing pilgrims to Knock from around the island. The All-Ireland Rosary Rally was started by Canon Michael Fitzgerald of the Cloyne diocese over thirty years ago. He was inspired by the rosary rallies of…
Pope urges Sicilian priests to be moral guides but to ‘drop the lace’ Pope Francis told priests and bishops from the Italian island of Sicily June 9 to be strong moral guides, and to update their art and vestments in conformity with Church reforms. “In Sicily, people still look to priests as spiritual and moral…
Choral Festival returns to St Patrick’s Cathedral After a two-year postponement due to the worldwide pandemic, the fifth Dublin Choral Festival takes place this year on Saturday June 18, at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin at 8 pm. The theme is ‘Faith, Love, Song and Light’ and features a programme of classical, contemporary, and Celtic…
Ireland urgently needs trained teams of people to lead so-called ‘deliverance ministry’ for people who feel they are oppressed by evil spirits, a leading priest-exorcist has warned. Fr Pat Collins CM, who has worked in this ministry for many years, told The Irish Catholic that the need is pressing and that while a number of…
Staff reporter A new book on the Holy Land aimed at encouraging pilgrims to follow in the footsteps of Christ will be launched in Dublin next week. An Irish Pilgrimage Guide to the Holy Land by Editor of The Irish Catholic Michael Kelly explores a variety of themes, from an in-depth look at the important sites…
The Archdiocese of Dublin’s synodal report says that many “were moved by the Spirit” to call for the consideration of female priests, “so that the Church may be enriched by their deeper participation in leadership and governance roles”. The country’s largest diocese has released its synodal synthesis, with the four major trends having emerged being…
The Provincial Leader of the OLA Sisters has condemned the brutal attack on a Catholic church in southwest Nigeria over the weekend, which left dozens of people dead. Sr Kathleen McGarvey, who has worked on peacebuilding in Nigeria for many years, described the attack on Pentecost Sunday as “an absolute nightmare”. “It is very painful…
Prayers were offered in parishes across Ireland at the weekend in thanksgiving for the diocesan phase of the universal synod, with Archbishop of Armagh Eamon Martin describing it as the “largest consultation ever to take place in the Catholic Church”. “I am grateful to all who participated for their constructive engagement in the many local…
Staff Reporter Rumours that Pope Francis might retire have been fuelled by an announcement that he will be attending a feast initiated by a 13th Century pope who himself resigned. Speculation that the 85-year-old might follow in the footsteps of his predecessor Benedict XVI and step down from his post was prompted in early May when he…
CSO stats show almost half of births outside marriage The latest figures from the CSO revealed 41.5% of births in the fourth quarter of 2021 were outside marriage. The figures showed there were 16,250 births in the fourth quarter of 2021, with 9,512 (58.5%) of those registered as being within marriage or civil partnership. There…
Chai Brady