Category: News

News in Brief

Skellig Michael rockfall “deeply worrying” The Office of Public Works (OPW) has described the serious rockfall which occurred on a roadway used by guides and OPW staff on the Christian monastic site of Skellig Michael as “deeply worrying”. Grellan Rourke, the OPW’s senior conservation architect for Skellig Michael said that while some winter storm damage…

Churches attract larger numbers than GAA

Not even the GAA can outdo the Catholic Church when it comes to membership in Ireland, according to the Bishop of Limerick. Commenting on the Census figures during an Easter ceremony in St John’s Cathedral in Limerick, Bishop Brendan Leahy said: “Despite everything, we have discovered that 78% of our population still declare themselves Catholic.…

Dublin priests offer ‘Peace in the Valley’

Maynooth deanery offer Confession in empty unit in Liffey Valley Shopping Centre An initiative of the Maynooth deanery saw an empty unit in Liffey Valley Shopping Centre become a buzz of sacred activity on Holy Saturday, with local priests answering Pope Francis’ call for outreach. From noon until 5.30pm the bare retail unit was transformed…

Catholic leaders urged to do more to support NI police

EXCLUSIVE Michael Kelly and Martin O’Brien Young Catholics need encouragement to become officers says Chief Constable The North’s most-senior policeman has called on Catholic leaders to do more to encourage young members of their community to consider becoming a police officer. In an exclusive interview with The Irish Catholic Chief Constable of the Police Service…

Bishop signals openness to women priests

Staff reporter There is no possibility of women being ordained “at the present time” Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown has signalled an openness to women priests, though insisted that there is no possibility of women being ordained “at the present time”. Dr McKeown – who was appointed Bishop of Derry by Pope Francis in 2014…

New deacons ordained for Dublin and Clogher

Three seminarians of the Pontifical Irish College, Rome, were ordained deacons on Easter Tuesday by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin, at the Church of Saint Alphonsus on the Via Merulana in Rome. Rev. James Daly (57), originally from Midleton, Co. Cork, a former parish pastoral worker and teacher, and Rev. Robert Smyth (32), from Knocklyon…

Tributes paid to former MIC president

Bishop Brendan Leahy of Limerick led the tributes to Prof. Michael Hayes, former president of Mary Immaculate College (MIC), who died on Holy Saturday after a short illness. Bishop Leahy, chairman of MIC’s governing authority, said Prof. Hayes had approached his role there with untiring zeal. “With a deep conviction that Catholic education has to…

Youth determined to ‘let it shine’

Davog McCafferty Over 50 young people from Cappagh parish, Co. Tyrone led their parishioners into Holy WeeK Last Sunday April 9, over 50 young people from the parish of Cappagh in Co. Tyrone led their parishioners and the wider community into Holy Week with an evening of music and reflection on the ‘Way of the…