Homelessness has risen to another record high, with almost 17,000 people now living in emergency accommodation, including more than 5,300 children, according to the latest figures from the Department of Housing. The November data shows 16,996 people were homeless, an increase of 230 in one month and nearly 12% over the past year. Child homelessness…
The Catholic Church formally concluded the Jubilee Year of Hope with the closing of the Holy Doors of Rome’s four papal basilicas, culminating on January 6 with the sealing of the Holy Door of St Peter’s Basilica by Pope Leo XIV. After a jubilee year not seen for centuries — with one pope opening the…
Pope Leo XIV and the bishops of Venezuela have urged prayer, calm and respect for national sovereignty following the US military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and transferred them to the United States to face federal narcoterrorism charges. Speaking at the conclusion of the Angelus prayer in St…
Pope Leo XIV urged young people to remain open to God’s call in a video message to thousands attending the SEEK 2026 conference, took place January 1–5 in Columbus, Ohio, Denver and Fort Worth, Texas. “Be open to what the Lord has in store for you,” the Pope said, encouraging participants to reflect on the…
Young Catholics are not looking for easy answers or a watered-down faith, according to Bishop Fintan Gavin of Cork and Ross. Instead, he says, they want clarity, challenge, and to be taken seriously by the Church. Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Bishop Gavin said one of the clearest messages to emerge from listening to young…
Archbishop Eamon Martin has said he’s not overly concerned that Catholic Emancipation commemorations don’t feature in the Irish Government’s programme for government. Speaking to this paper he said “I wouldn’t be too worried about seeing it in the program for government, I would like to do and we’re already having some conversations about this at…
The Bishop of Meath Tom Deenihan has said that he is cautiously optimistic that the diocese is seeing a ‘turn’ in the vocations tide. “I think that the recent upturn, and we must be cautious here, in those entering Propaedeutic years, seminary or just enquiring, has been well reported and is very welcome. There are,…
The Board of Management of St Flannan’s College, Ennis, Co. Clare, recently announced the appointment of a new principal, Donal Cahir, a native of Kilnamona. Mr Cahir joined the staff of the diocesan school in 1999 and was appointed deputy principal in 2017. He succeeds Fr Ignatius McCormack, who worked with him in managing the…
In a new book released this month, A Synod Diary -Sixty Days That Shook the Church- author and academic Michael W. Higgins recalls his first Vatican Synod, The Extraordinary Synod of Catholic Bishops from November 24 to December 8th, 1985 called to review the twenty years that had elapsed since the conclusion of Vatican II.…
One of the oldest Lay Dominicans in Ireland was granted a Papal Award for a lifetime of service to the Church and numerous charities. James Joseph Tohill, also known as J.J., aged 92, is a retired Belfast businessman and accountant. Mr Tohill is a member of St Brigid’s Parish in South Belfast and received the…