The president of the Lithuanian bishops’ conference warned that his country and its neighbours could be targeted if Russian President Vladimir Putin imposes his will on Ukraine. Archbishop Gintaras Grušas of Vilnius, who is also president of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences, urged Western countries to maintain a “hard line of deterrence. “We’re in…
Catholic youth group Youth 2000 is “delighted and really excited” to be welcoming young Catholics back to their first major in-person event since March 2020, National Administrator for the group, Emma Maloney told this paper. Ms Maloney said the pandemic made it “very hard for single Catholics for the last two years to get out…
Staff reporter The Pope’s representative in Ireland has thrown his weight behind a new initiative for the renewal of faith through an all-island novena which follows in the steps of St Patrick. Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo visited St Patrick’s Church in Saul on the feast of Candlemas as part of a St Patrick’s novena. Archbishop…
US pastor resigns after discovering invalid baptisms Bishop Thomas Olmsted of Phoenix said baptisms performed by a priest during years of ministry in the diocese are invalid, leading to the resignation of the clergyman, February 1. In a January 14 letter to the diocese, Bishop Olmsted said diocesan officials learned from the Vatican Congregation for…
Born in the same year as the Irish Free State came into existence, Fr Tony Mulvey CSsR is the first Irish Redemptorist to reach 100 years of age. But achieving this milestone doesn’t mean he has retired, he insists. “There’s no retirement for Redemptorists. The only place you retire is into the box when you’re…
The Nicaragua national assembly ordered the revocation of the legal status of five universities – including a Catholic university – along with several Catholic educational and charitable projects, marking the latest act of repression targeting supposed opponents of President Daniel Ortega. Projects that would be forced to close in the Diocese of Estelí include an…
When a suicide bomber attempted to enter a Catholic church in Pakistan in 2015, a 20-year-old volunteer security guard blocked him. “I will die but I will not let you go in,” he reportedly told the terrorist armed with explosives. The attacker then set off a bomb, immediately killing himself and the man now recognised as…
New UAE Apostolic Nunciature opens in Abu Dhabi The Substitute of the Secretariat of State, Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, presided over a ceremony to officially open the new Apostolic Nunciature to the UAE on Friday. The event took place on the same day as the world marks the International Day of Human Fraternity, which commemorates…
Cork school celebrates Ceist’s 15th anniversary On February 1, St Brigid’s Day, St Mary’s High School, Midleton in Co. Cork celebrated the 15th anniversary of the foundation of Ceist. To celebrate the occasion a representative group from St Mary’s visited the Presentation Sisters in the convent adjacent to the school. A spokesperson said: “Ceist post-primary…
The voices of the silent majority of parents who want to send their child to a local parish school must be heard in the ongoing debate on education, the head of a group representing Catholic schools has insisted. This comes following revelations that 78% of people support the Church having a role in continuing to…
Chai Brady