Ruadhán JonesThe Government has decided to add a new public holiday to the national calendar to honour the country’s female patron, St Brigid of Kildare
St Brigid to be honoured with public holiday
Category: News
Parish unites as ‘family of faith’ to lay Ashling to rest
Michael Kelly
Ashling Murphy, the 23-year-old school teacher who was attacked and killed on January 12, “cherished the Gospel” her funeral Mass has been told. Ashling had only qualified from Mary Immaculate College in Limerick last autumn and took up a post at the local Catholic school which her family described as her dream job. Her grieving…
Administrator appointed for Ardagh and Clonmacnois diocese
Chai Brady
A new diocesan administrator, Fr Tom Healy, has been appointed for the Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnois following Archbishop Francis Duffy’s installation as the new Archbishop of Tuam. Fr Healy PP of Edgeworthstown in Co. Longford will administer the day-to-day affairs of Ardagh and Clonmacnois until a new bishop is appointed. He will continue in…
Murder of teacher Ashling Murphy in Tullamore ‘incomprehensible and tragic’
The murder of Ashling Murphy in Tullamore is “incomprehensible and tragic”, her former Religious Education teacher has said. Fr Michael Wall, chaplain in Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, where Ms Murphy studied to become a teacher, told The Irish Catholic she was an “excellent student” and “a great musician”. “She was teaching music at home.…
Pope pops by his favorite record store to say ‘hello’
Pope Francis took an evening ride in a white Fiat 500 to visit a record store he used to go to when in Rome as a cardinal. Letizia Giostra, the store owner, told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that the surprise visit January 11 was “an immense thrill”. “The Holy Father is passionate about…
Turn no-one away from synod, archbishop pleads
One of Ireland’s most-senior prelates has insisted that the planned synod gathering on the future of Catholicism must be open to all voices if it is to bring meaningful reform to the Church here. Archbishop Francis Duffy warned that the process would only be worthwhile if Church leaders can reach out to those who are…
‘Dishonest’ Govt pregnancy helpline ‘leading women toward abortion’
Staff reporter The HSE-run pregnancy helpline My Options is “leading vulnerable women toward abortion”, a study from Students for Life has shown. Katie Fenton of Students for Life warned the helpline is “failing women in crisis pregnancies” by not offering continued-pregnancy practical support. Students for Life investigated how My Options counsellors interact with callers between…
IC Holy Land trip to go ahead
Staff reporter For the first time in almost two years, The Irish Catholic Christian Solidarity Pilgrimage to the Holy Land will go ahead next month. The February 16-24 trip looked uncertain due to Covid-19 concerns. However, Israeli authorities announced that the borders of the Holy Land would reopen to pilgrims in time to facilitate the…
Kilmore priests warned not to speak about bishop’s leave
Priests of the Kilmore Diocese have told The Irish Catholic they feel left in the dark after being told by the diocesan administrator that they should not speak about Bishop Martin Hayes’ leave of absence. The bishop wrote to the clergy in early December saying that he was taking a number of weeks leave on…
Demographic ice-age behind Pope’s pets comment, economist says
A “very real demographic winter” stands behind the Pope’s recent controversial comments on pets, prominent economist Ray Kinsella has said. The Pope provoked an outraged reaction last week when he criticised the replacement of children with dogs and cats in many couples’ lives. “The other day, I was talking about the demographic winter that we…