Dioceses across the US welcomed thousands of people into the Catholic Church at Easter Vigil Masses on the evening of April 20. As the culmination of the Easter Triduum, the Vigil celebrates the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. While people can become Catholic at any time of the year, the Easter Vigil is…
Category: News
Praise for French priest’s ‘act of faith’ in Notre-Dame
An Irish priest who retrieved the Blessed Sacrament from a burning convent has said a French priest gave a powerful testimony to his faith in the reality of Christ in the Eucharist by rescuing the Blessed Sacrament from Notre-Dame Cathedral last week. Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Fr John Harris OP, who entered Drogheda’s Siena…
Easter bombs show war on Christians is spreading
For too long the media has played down the most appalling attacks against believers, writes James Bradshaw The bomb attacks which took place on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka have once again demonstrated the horrors which Christians are being subjected to the world over. Some 320 people were killed and another 500 were injured…
Political leafletting causes disquiet at Donegal friary
Concerns have been raised after cars were leafletted on behalf of a politician while people were celebrating Easter Mass in a friary in Donegal. Leaflets promoting Fine Gael’s Michael McClafferty were distributed without permission at Ards Friary over the weekend. The friary’s Guardian, Bro. Richard Hendrick OFM Cap., said he was “surprised” that it had…
Man arrested after attempting to enter cathedral with flammables
A man who tried to walk through St Patrick’s Cathedral in midtown Manhattan close to 8pm local time on April 17 had gas cans, lighter fluid and igniters and claimed he was just cutting through the cathedral to get to Madison Avenue where he had left his car, which he said had run out of…
Language must change on homosexuality, Cardinal Tobin urges
The Archbishop of Newark has said that the language used by the Catechism of the Catholic Church to describe homosexual acts is “very unfortunate”, adding that he hopes the Catechism will use different language in its discussion of homosexuality. “The Church, I think, is having its own conversation about what our faith has us do…
After Notre Dame fire, Easter season offers new life to everyone
What we saw on the streets of Paris was people giving witness to the power of hope over adversity, writes Bishop Larry Duffy Images are important. They tell us stories. They explain things to us in ways that words sometimes can’t. They also nudge us into reflecting more deeply about some of the great…
Obstacles to Church renewal must be overcome – bishop
Priests must get used to a more inclusive style of ministry, where they work alongside parishioners, Bishop Brendan Leahy has said. Speaking at the Diocese of Limerick’s annual Chrism Mass, Bishop Leahy said Pope Francis’ vision directly addresses the needs of the Irish Church. “One of Pope Francis’ goals is to establish the synodal Church,…
Looking to a future that is pro-life
Dublin will play host to a major pro-life gathering next month to mark the anniversary of last year’s referendum removing the right to life from the unborn. ‘Ireland – the future is pro-life: fighting to restore a culture of life’ will be held on Saturday, May 25 and will focus on how the pro-life community…
Rwanda’s bishops apologise for call to release genocide convicts
Rwanda’s Catholic bishops have apologised for urging the release of some prisoners convicted for roles in the 1994 genocide, saying they realised by the reaction that they had caused much hurt. The statement followed criticism of a pastoral letter that called for the release of old and ill convicts serving sentences for the mass killings.…


Greg Daly

Chai Brady





