A second diocese in Sicily, where the Mafia has had a significant presence for decades, announced a temporary ban on the naming of godparents for baptisms and confirmations. In a decree that went into effect January 1, Bishop Domenico Mogavero of Mazara del Vallo said the ban would be in effect ad experimentum (on an…
Staff reporter St Mary’s High School Downpatrick’s Choir are raising funds for Catholic charity Cuan Mhuire “during this time of desperate need”. The school choir would typically visit Cuan Mhuire’s Newry residents at Christmas, but this couldn’t go ahead in 2021 due to Covid-19. Instead, the choir released a recording of the carol See Amid…
Although the long-established impact of Covid-19 on faith and worship has been extensively documented, positive news has emerged as Radio Maria announced that it has seen texts, calls and general engagement triple when compared to figures compiled before the pandemic, with the station being used as a faith-based resource by those who were deprived of…
Every year, certain storylines dominate news coverage of the Vatican. Some are largely positive, though many tend to be negative, such as the clerical abuse scandals that have been a strong contender for biggest Vatican story of the year for each of the last 20 years. Reporters being basically pack animals, the inevitable effect of…
For Christians in Chin and Kayah states, there were no Christmas and New Year celebrations due to fighting. They have borne the brunt of a decades-old civil war and faced oppression and persecution at the hands of the military, reported ucanews.com. On December 29, Catholics in Kayah’s Hpruso Township held a funeral for 35 civilians…
A lay Catholic organisation held three rosary rallies in Dublin in the run up to Christmas to bring the “true joy” of Christmas to people, and to oppose secularisation. The Irish Society for Christian Civilisation (ISFCC) held the Christmas rallies on O’Connell Street on December 4, 11 and 18. The participants prayed the rosary and…
Radical change is coming in the Church – Archbishop Dermot Farrell Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell recently spoke of how “radical change” is coming in the Church, a change which he believes will bring forth a renewal of energy and new forms of ministry. “With a powerful commitment from clergy and lay faithful, across the…
Abandoning sacredness of the family promotes irresponsibility – Bishop McKeown When a society abandons the sacredness of the family, it promotes a “lack of responsibility and maturity”, Bishop Dónal McKeown said on the feast of the Holy Family. The bishop of Derry warned that “in a secular world, preparation for Church marriages needs to be…
QR code added to sculpture to educate people about migration A life-sized bronze sculpture of migrants and refugees crowded onto a boat has stood in St’ Peter’s Square for more than two years, but just before Christmas a small QR code was placed on the boat’s stern to give onlookers information about the work. The…
Young people must be central to the conversation about Irish reunification, the Primate of All-Ireland has said in his new year’s message. Archbishop Eamon Martin also warned that victims of the conflict in the North cannot be denied access to justice by controversial proposals from the British government on legacy issues. “As we begin a…
John L. Allen Jr.
Chai Brady
Michael Kelly