Ahead of his ordination as the new Bishop of Ossory, Msgr Dermot Farrell has acknowledged that many people have lost trust in institutions but that he hopes “we will not be just be people who proclaim the Word, but people who do it”. In a pastoral message issued on Sunday the bishop-elect told parishioners that…
Linguistic acrobatics used to deny baby’s humanity – bishop The bishop of Kilmore has given a pastoral message defending the Eighth Amendment, maintaining that the question of abortion is not primarily a religious issue, but an “ethical” and “human rights issue”. Bishop Leo O’Reilly issued the statement on March 6, saying that a compassionate response…
WMOF Sharon Dunne In preparation for the World Meeting of Families 2018, the Archdiocese of Armagh formed a Core Group in November 2016 after the national launch in October of that year. The purpose of the Core Group was twofold. First of all, to gather people from across the Archdiocese of Armagh, north and…
Increased participation of women in decision-making within the Church is a continuing process that still needs time, according to Cardinal Kevin Farrell. Speaking during a question-and-answer session in Rome after the presentation of the book A Pope Francis Lexicon, Cardinal Farrell said that a greater role for women in the Church “is going to take…
Under a billowing white tent in North Carolina, Christian leaders and close friends said goodbye to ‘America’s pastor’, the Rev. Billy Graham, during a private funeral service. The 28,000-square-foot tent was reminiscent of the ‘canvas cathedral’ in which the Southern Baptist preacher conducted his 1949 Los Angeles Crusade that propelled him onto the national stage.…
WMOF Janet Forbes Ardboe Parish is a community of approximately 1400 families situated on the western shores of Lough Neagh. The Parish has a history of Christian community stretching back to St Colman in 590 AD when he founded the old monastic church at Ardboe. The community has the tallest High Cross in Ireland,…
WMOF Brendan McKiernan In mid-2017 our parish invited Sr Ann and Sharon Dunne from the Armagh Diocesan Pastoral Centre, to a sharing of ideas gathering. At this gathering, requested by Fr Malachy Murphy PP and the Parish Pastoral Council, the parish discussed initiatives which had the potential to bring families together as a faith…
Pope Francis has condemned the trend to ask parishioners for a financial contribution in order to have Mass for a loved one, saying that to make a personal offering is fine, but the liturgy should never have a price tag. The Pontiff spoke today during his general audience this week as part of his ongoing…
Alex Ferns The Supreme Court ruling that the right to life is the only constitutional right the unborn have in Ireland makes it more important than ever that that right be protected, the Pro Life Campaign (PLC) has said. Today’s decision, PLC legal adviser Prof. William Binchy said, makes the retention of the Eighth…
Pope Francis has given the go-ahead for martyred Archbishop Oscar Romero to be declared a saint. The Salvadorian champion of the poor was murdered by a death squad in 1980 and he has long been considered a social justice hero within the Church. According to a Vatican communique, Pope Francis made the decision at a…