World Youth Day 2023 organisers urge youth to join ‘great national movement’ The organisers of World Youth Day 2023 invited young Portuguese Catholics this week to prepare for the event by taking part in a two-day nationwide mission. They urged youngsters to join a “a great national movement that intends to bring hope and joy…
Category: News
Passionists prepare to mark 300th anniversary with jubilee celebration
The Passionist Fathers are to commemorate the 300th anniversary of their founding with a jubilee celebration beginning November 22.
Mary shows us how to face fear and hear God’s call, Pope says
Pope Francis called Catholics to follow Mary in “putting our life in the Lord’s hands” with humility and trust, at his weekly general audience. Continuing his series of audience talks about prayer, Pope Francis reflected on Mary as a model of prayer. “There is no better way to pray than to place oneself like Mary…
Hopes high of return to Mass in early December after meeting with Taoiseach
A group representing Christian ministers across the country say it is hopeful of a return to public worship in early December. Irish Church Together was amongst a wide group of faith representatives who met with Taoiseach Micheál Martin yesterday (Tuesday) to press for a return to communal celebrations when restrictions go to level three. Paddy…
Taoiseach says churches could be open for public Mass in early December
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that public worship could return under “modified” level 3 restrictions in early December. In an interview on RTÉ News at One today the Taoiseach said: “We will make decisons towards the end of the month, I did say that we may look at level 3 as to modifications to level…
Christians again top list of faiths facing hostility worldwide
Christians top the list for countries where they face either governmental or social hostility, according to a new report issued November 10 by the Pew Research Center. Christians have topped the list each year since Pew started collecting data in 2007. The number of countries where Christians face some form of hostility rose from 143…
Aontú submits bill to protect children from online pornography
Aontú has submitted the Protection of Children (Online Pornographic Material) Bill (2020) to the Dáil, which is set to be discussed in its first stage on Tuesday, November 17. The Bill will make the online provision of pornography to children by internet companies illegal. Commenting on the issue the Bill is intended to deal with, Meath…
Victims in McCarrick report show fear, courage, anger, need for action
The Vatican Secretariat of State’s report on Theodore E. McCarrick provides a glimpse into how a number of witnesses and victims of the former cardinal’s abuse sought numerous ways to alert church officials and were disturbingly aware their allegations might trigger repercussions. Over its 460 pages, the report also reveals how much difference 30 years…
Govt urged to re-think ‘sneaky’ tax on prayer
A proposal to apply VAT to devotional candles has been described as effectively “a tax on prayer”. The 2020 Finance Bill proposes to remove a historical protection on white candles which, according to Fr John Carroll of the Ferns Diocese, is akin to taxing “counselling or stress” given the solace many people feel lighting a…
Cork priest celebrating Mass publicly warned by Gardaí
EXCLUSIVE A priest in Co. Cork was warned by gardaí that they would “apply the full rigours of the law”, after he celebrated Mass with a small congregation The Irish Catholic can reveal. The priest, who did not wish to be named, said the garda involved did not specify what the penalty would be, but…

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