Courtney McGrailRector Fr Seamus Enright pictured at the launch of the Limerick Novena outside the Mount St Alphonsus Redemptorist church in Limerick, with a special Bus Ėireann bus advertising the solemn novena in honour of Our Mother of Perpetual Help from June 16-24. Photo: Brian Gavin/Press 22
Category: News
World Meeting of Families to open new dialogue about marriage: Irish Cardinal
Chai Brady
An Irish cardinal has said the World Meeting of Families (WMOF) will “prepare couples for the reality of marriage”. There are also hopes it will rejuvenate the Church in Ireland. Cardinal Kevin Farrell returned to Dublin, his home city, for a keynote address at the beginning of a three-day conference attended by delegates from all…
Vatican urged to block hospital plan
Greg Daly
A Rome-based moral theologian has said the Vatican has an obligation to block plans by the Sisters of Charity to facilitate the building of a new National Maternity Hospital where it is expected that abortions will take place. Fr Kevin O’Reilly OP, who lectures in Rome’s Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas, better known as…
Trump’s decision to exit Paris climate deal “will harm people”
Bishops around the world have labelled President Donald Trump’s decision to leave the Paris Climate Agreement last week “a major challenge” and “deeply troubling”. German Cardinal Reinhard Marx said that the decision “erodes the global trust” achieved after the agreement was made. He added it was regrettable the Pope’s advice did not seem to influence…
Two new permanent deacons for Dromore
The number of permanent deacons serving in the Diocese of Dromore has increased to five following the ordination of John McClelland (Newry) and Deacon Michael Rooney (Ballela) at the Cathedral of Ss Patrick & Colman in Newry on Sunday by Bishop John McAreavey. Also pictured: Canon Francis Brown, Adm. Newry Cathedral and Rev. Deacon Frank…
‘Counter-cultural’ Lough Derg sees rising pilgrim numbers
Record numbers of pilgrims visited St Patrick’s Purgatory in Lough Derg for the opening weekend of the island shrine’s 2017 Three-Day Pilgrimage season. With numbers up 10% on last year’s opening weekend, Fr Owen McEneaney, Prior of Lough Derg, told The Irish Catholic that it was even more heartening to compare today’s numbers – which…
Grief across world at London Bridge attack
Catholics across the world have expressed their grief in the wake of the London Bridge terror attack which saw the death of seven people. US Catholics joined the Pope in expressing sorrow for those killed and severely injured in the latest terrorist attacks in London the night of June 3. “The vigil of Pentecost had…
Out and About
Annual Eucharistic Procession in Cork Our faith is not something to only be celebrated behind closed doors, but publicly in the streets, according to the Bishop of Cork & Ross. Speaking in advance of the annual Eucharistic Procession in Cork on Sunday, June 18, Bishop John Buckley said we should “seek opportunities to celebrate our…
Pope’s visit should leave legacy of better helping the homeless
The World Meeting of Families (WMOF) should leave behind a legacy of helping families caught in the “disgraceful” homeless crisis in Ireland, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has said. Speaking at a conference on the WMOF, Dr Martin said there should not only be a spiritual legacy from the event, but also a focus on “what we…
Pope Francis calls for end to the arms trade
Pope Francis’ prayer intention for June is for the elimination of the arms trade. His intentions were made in a video message released on the Vatican’s Youtube channel at the beginning of this month. “It is an absurd contradiction to speak of peace, to negotiate peace, and at the same time, promote or permit the…
