In Christmas message, Pope prays for peace Delivering his formal Christmas message and blessing, Pope Francis prayed for a world where all people would recognise that they are brothers and sisters and would work for justice and for peace. The birth of Jesus proclaims that “God is a good father and we are all brothers and sisters. This truth is the…
Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Leo O’Reilly of Kilmore on health grounds. While Dr O’Reilly was not due to retire until next year, the Vatican announced in a communique on December 31 that the retirement had been brought forward. A statement from the Catholic Communications Office said Bishop O’Reilly tendered his resignation…
Hannah Brockhaus When praying, remember the words of Jesus when he taught the ‘Our Father,’ Pope Francis said today, meeting God as his beloved child and speaking from the heart. Some think that to pray is to use many words. “I too think of many Christians who believe that praying is to talk to…
January The new year began with news that Mayo-born Fr Patrick Peyton – who died in 1992 – began his first steps towards formal sainthood, with Pope Francis having acknowledged his ‘heroic virtues’, decreeing him ‘venerable’. Known as the ‘Rosary Priest’, Fr Peyton organised massive Rosary rallies in cities around the world, enlisting the help…
Pro-life TD Peadar Tóibín has said he is overwhelmed by the huge turnout at his public meetings to launch a new all-Ireland political party. He said that many people are sick and tired of the stifling consensus in Irish politics. Mr Tóibín has been holding packed meetings on both sides of the border and told…
A parish community has been left “shocked” after vandals kicked in a nativity crib and smashed a statue of the baby Jesus in an early morning attack on the religious scene, a local parish priest has said. The perpetrators of the attack, which occurred in Newbridge, Co. Kildare earlier this month, were identified on CCTV…
A school in the depths of a country torn apart by religious extremism would “dearly appreciate” an English teacher from Ireland to help rebuild the community, according to Archbishop Eamon Martin. The Archdiocese of Erbil in Iraq is rebuilding after ISIS destroyed towns and villages in the area and desecrated Christian sites and persecuted Christians.…
Catholics who are deciding to leave the Church are doing so at an increasingly young age, a new study has revealed. While it’s clear that there has been a sharp decline in those practicing the Faith in Western countries, new research has shown that people stop identifying as Catholics at a median age of 13,…
The death penalty is a rejection of the Gospel and human dignity, Pope Francis has said, and must be rejected by all countries. Meeting with delegates from the International Commission against the Death Penalty, the Pope said capital punishment persists as a lingering value of times when “the instruments available to us for the protection…
Over 40 students rallied together in a school to fight off hunger to raise awareness and funds for the homeless crisis in Ireland. Transition Year students in Ennis’ Rice College took part in a school sleep in and a 24-hour fast earlier this month to collect money for the Mid-West Simon Community. The students wrote…
Chai Brady
Colm Fitzpatrick
Greg Daly