The grave of a Co. Tyrone poet who died two centuries ago is to be given a long-awaited headstone next month. Strabane-native John McCrossan – also known as the Evish Bard – has lay in an unmarked grave since his death in 1895. Around 100 members of his family from around the world will meet…
As neighbouring countries try to mediate an ongoing trade war between Japan and South Korea, one bishop has stepped into the ring urging both sides to “rational dialogue” in solving their problems without further escalation. Bishop Taiji Katsuya of Sapporo, president of the Japan Catholic Council for Justice and Peace, issued a statement earlier this…
Four Church-owned primary schools are switching to non-denominational patronage models ahead of the new school year. The schools in Kerry, Wexford and Roscommon had all been facing closure due to declining enrolments, with one in Ballinskelligs, Co. Kerry having just 14 pupils. Although dioceses have previously transferred empty school buildings to non-denominational or multi-denominational patron…
Indian police arrested six suspected members of a hard-line Hindu group for attacking 40 Catholics taking part in a 280-mile pilgrimage to a Marian shrine in Velankanni in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. The attackers were accused of blocking the pilgrims on a public road last week and beating and verbally abusing them, a…
Catholic university steps up on abuse prevention – Pontiff A specialised centre at Chile’s premier Catholic university can help the Church protect minors and vulnerable persons from the scourge of clerical sexual abuse, which has plagued the Church in the country and around the world, Pope Francis has said. In a video message played on August 15 during the inaugural ceremony of the…
Derry’s Bishop Donal McKeown has announced the following clerical changes, which are effective this month onwards: Fr Paul Fraser is to be PP Ardstraw West & Castlederg and PP Termonamongan; while Fr Colm O’Doherty will be PP Clonleigh and Adm. Urney & Castlefin. Fr Francis Bradley, PP Buncrana and Chancellor of the Diocese of Derry,…
Devil is a symbol, not a person – Church official The superior general of the Society of Jesus has said that the Devil is a symbolic reality, not a person. The Devil, “exists as the personification of evil in different structures, but not in persons…he is not a person like a human person. It is…
Security guards at Little Nellie of Holy God’s grave in Cork have been stopping devotees from accessing the site for several days The Irish Catholic has learned. Ongoing concerns about visits to the graveyard since the site was sold has made it a contentious issue. Developers told this newspaper a month ago they would allow…
Irish shrines point way forward, says Pope’s adviser Shrines such as Knock and Lough Derg can lead to a rebirth of the Church in Ireland, the Pope’s leading adviser on evangelisation has said. It comes as the number of pilgrims at both Knock and Lough Derg are up on previous years. Archbishop Rino Fisichella…
Tipperary priests are celebrating “the golden age of hurling” after its county’s players were crowned All-Ireland champions over the weekend. Hurling enthusiast Fr Vincent Stapleton, who attended the match in Croke Park which saw the Tipperary senior hurling team beat rivals Kilkenny 3-25 to 0-20, said he was “over the moon” about the home win.…
Colm Fitzpatrick
Chai Brady