Pro-life bell blessed by Pope resounds in Ecuador A bell forged in Poland and blessed by Pope Francis has arrived in Ecuador, where it will ring out in honour of unborn children. The bell, known as the “Voice of the Unborn”, was welcomed into the Cathedral of St Peter the Apostle in Guayaquil, Ecuador’s chief…
Donegal County Council has recently ratified a move to the design and tender stage of a plan to build a €30 million extension on the grounds of St Eunan’s College in Letterkenny. The letter sent last week to the school by the council confirmed the Council’s intention to proceed with the project while outlining the…
Saturday saw the return of a staple event in the calendars of many young Catholics around Ireland: The Youth 2000 Valentine’s Ball. The ball, which took place in the Armagh City Hotel, was preceded by Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral, celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh Bishop Michael Router. Speaking to The Irish Catholic newspaper,…
Catholics from Mary Mother of Divine Shepherd Mulajje Parish in central Uganda are worried about losing their church and all properties after one of the families that donated the land to the church years ago began to repossess it. The parish is one among hundreds of Catholic churches in the East African country that continue…
Italy’s constitutional court on February 15 blocked a referendum to decriminalise physician-assisted suicide in the country, citing inadequate legal protections for the weak and vulnerable. The leadership of the Italian bishops’ conference welcomed the court’s decision in a statement. The court’s pronouncement “is a very specific invitation… to offer the support necessary to overcome or…
Archbishop of Armagh Eamon Martin joined the people of Tullysaran, Co. Tyrone, February 11 to mark the beginning of the centenary year at the Church of the Immaculate Conception. The Archbishop was joined by Cardinal Sean Brady, Fr Peter McAnenly Adm, Fr Barry Matthews CC and Deacon Malachy McElmeel. During the Mass, the Archbishop presented…
First diocesan pilgrimages to Lourdes in three years announced In-person diocesan pilgrimages to Our Lady of Lourdes shrine in France are underway again for the first time since the pandemic started. The dioceses of Derry and Down and Connor have announced the dates for their 2022 diocesan pilgrimages, which will take place in July. The…
Pope reflects on what ails the priesthood Opening an international conference on priesthood, Pope Francis insisted that those who are not close to God in prayer, close to their bishop and other priests and immersed in the lives of their people are simply “‘clerical functionaries’ or ‘professionals of the sacred’”. “A priest needs to have…
The Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell has pleaded with people who don’t need new Government subsidies aimed at tackling the spiralling cost of living to gift it to their parish St Vincent de Paul group. It comes amidst fears that some families and older people are being faced with the stark choice to eat or…
There are currently no plans in place to reinstate the Sunday obligation across the island of Ireland with a bishop citing a “still high infection rate” as the reason. The Irish Catholic understands that, as of the time of writing, the move is considered to be premature in light of the present Covid-19 situation. Corresponding…