Calls have been made for religious buildings across Ireland to be fire-proofed, amid fears that dilapidated churches could be easily prone to disaster. Speaking in the aftermath of the huge fire which ravaged Notre-Dame’s Cathedral earlier this month, Dublin’s Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said that he “worries” that churches in Ireland may meet a similar fate.…
A €3 million development at an 800-year-old abbey in Co. Mayo will serve as a hub for exploring the role of pilgrimages in Ireland and Europe’s Christian identity, according to the local parish priest. Fr Frank Fahey told The Irish Catholic that Mayo County Council’s support for building an interpretative centre at Ballintubber Abbey will…
The president of Peru’s conference of bishops has called for calm after two-time former Peruvian President Alan Garcia died on April 17 after shooting himself in the head as authorities prepared to arrest him. “A sad end for this person, who was also important, independently from political and financial situations,” Archbishop Miguel Cabrejos Vidarte of…
While the Passion narrative was recorded over 2,000 years ago in the Middle East, a group of Derry-based schools decided this month to offer their own interpretation of those few fateful days. Students of St Joseph’s Boys’ Secondary School, St Columb’s College and St Mary’s College gathered in St Eugene’s Cathedral to visually retell the…
Amidst the devastation of the fire, what was most noticeable from social media was the outpouring of faith and emotion that the blaze caused. People stopped in their tracks at impromptu vigils and sang Marian hymns and prayed rosaries. Many people were weeping, and there was obvious relief when it emerged that the façade of…
Priests must be among the ‘crowds’ Pope urges clergy Just as Jesus always sought to be with the people to serve, teach and heal them, so too must priests always be in the midst of God’s people, “pouring ourselves out” for them, Pope Francis said. Being with the people “is the most beautiful place” to be, he told priests during the Chrism Mass…
Dennis Sadowski More than 90% of Catholics said they believe that Catholic organisations should invest church funds in ways that are consistent with Church teaching and values, according to results of a new survey. In addition, about 31% of respondents to the survey conducted by Boston-based Catholic Investment Services said that news of clergy…
A Belfast-based priest has urged politicians in the North to use the murder of a 29-year-old journalist as the inspiration to restart talks on a cross-community power-sharing government. Lyra McKee (29) was killed April 18 after a gunman from a dissident paramilitary faction opened fire on the police. She had been covering political unrest in…
The scales of justice cannot solve everything, especially when it comes to stopping a cycle of evil vengeance, Pope Francis said. “Evil knows revenge and if it is not halted, it risks spreading, suffocating the whole world,” he said on April 24 during his weekly general audience. Christians must forgive and love others even beyond…
BREAKING Easter brought no respite from attacks on Christians as up to 156 people were reported killed in a series of attacks on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka. Hundreds more were injured according to police and hospital sources. At least six explosions have been reported. Three churches in Kochchikade, Negombo and Batticaloa were targeted…
Colm Fitzpatrick