St Kevin’s Church in Dublin celebrated the beginning of its life as an Oratory at the weekend, more than 160 years after St John Henry Newman wanted to found one in the capital. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has given his approval on a trial basis which is expected to last for three years and celebrations marked…
Uruguayan priest named the Pope’s new Personal Secretary Fr Gonzalo Aemilius has been elected as Pope Francis’ new Special Secretary, filling the void left by Father Fabian Pedacchio in December. The clergyman from Montevideo, Uruguay has been known to the Pope since 2006 when Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, endorsed him for…
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has opened a recruitment campaign this week which bids to increase its number of Catholic officers. The PSNI is looking for 600 trainees to reach full complement and address the under-representation of Catholics in the force. At present only 32% of the 6,848 police officers in Northern Ireland…
The Carmelite sisters in Loughrea, Co. Galway are set to leave the town after a presence of over 300 years. Like many other religious communities, the sisters have struggled to attract new vocations in recent years and the age prpfile of the sisters is older. As a result, their prayerful presence in the community will…
Top award for Catholic medic in Africa A Catholic medical missionary in Africa has been honored with a top international medical award. Dr Tom Catena (55) from New York received the AMH Gerson L’Chaim Prize for ‘outstanding Christian medical missionary service’ last week. The American Surgeon, described as “the world’s most important doctor” on US…
Plea for Catholics to put homeless, health crisis and youth at centre of vote With just over a week to the general election, Bishop of Elphin Kevin Doran has urged Catholics to reflect deeply before voting and urged them to think of the less well-off before casting their ballot. He also fired a shot across…
NBA basketball legend Kobe Bryant reportedly attended Mass just hours before his death in a tragic accident on Sunday, January 26. Mr Bryant, a devout Catholic, was killed along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other passengers in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. He was on his way to the Mamba Sports Academy…
Pope Francis “has our backs” in the pro-life cause, Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, said to applause in his homily at the opening Mass of the National Vigil for Life. During an ad limina meeting with US bishops the week before, Archbishop Naumann [pictured] said Pope Francis had told them: “If we do not…
Any person with no fixed address will have found it difficult to register to vote for the upcoming election, even though people who are homeless – or are in prison – can technically vote. In order to vote from prison, which has been legal in Ireland since 2006, a prisoner must apply to be included…
Filipino Church leaders have urged parishioners to be extra cautious amidst a deadly outbreak of coronavirus, which has affected hundreds of people in China and spread to other countries as well. Bishop Oscar Florencio, who oversees the Bishops’ Commission on Health Care, encouraged residents to be vigilant and to quickly check into a hospital if…