The National Vocations Coordinator has hailed the “amazing” response he received to a pilot programme which consulted young people about the best way to promote vocations to the priesthood. Fr Willie Purcell, based in the Diocese of Ossory, consulted with three groups of young people over recent weeks – a secondary school group, those involved…
Category: News
Indonesia’s death penalty for some drug offences is no deterrant
The death penalty does nothing to hinder the drug trade, a leading Indonesian cleric has said. Speaking after Indonesia’s government announced the imminent execution of 15 prisoners, Fr Paulus Christian Siswantoko, executive secretary of the Indonesian bishops’ Justice and Peace commission, said, “the death penalty is not a deterrent to drug dealers. Many of them…
A thumbs up for the Holy Spirit
Lynn Kelly, Ella Anderson, Eabha Connor, Rosie Phipps O’Neill and Ella Kennedy pictured after their Confirmation ceremony in St Mochta’s Church, Porterstown in Dublin 15 last week.
Faith a ‘linchpin’ for stressed exam students
Chaplains working in Catholic schools have urged stressed students sitting important State exams to turn to prayer to help them cope. Belvedere College SJ chaplain Trish Carroll told The Irish Catholic that “faith when times are difficult can be a linchpin for many students”. “Within my work as chaplain, I try to foster the spirit…
Italian property tax may force schools to close
An Italian archbishop has warned Church-owned schools will close if the government forces them to pay property taxes worth around €100,000. Responding to a call from Ferrara’s mayor Tiziano Tagliani to pay retroactive property taxes on schools that charge a partial tuition fee, on the basis that this could be considered a “commercial activity”, Ferrara-Comacchio’s…
Jesuits call for prison reform for youth
The Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice has called on the Government to create a new facility specifically and exclusively to detain young adults in order to ensure their humane treatment. A report launched on Tuesday, ‘Developing Inside: Transforming Prison for Young Adults’, recommends that the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Katherine Zappone, be…
Kildare looks to Romania for priest shortfall
Kildare & Leighlin is the latest diocese to look abroad to fill clerical appointments in order to counter the decline in priest numbers. Announcing the diocesan appointments for the coming year, Bishop Denis Nulty said he was “aware of the huge demands on priests in 2016 and each year the changes will get that bit…
Philippine bishops delay response to attack
The Philippines’ Catholic Bishops’ Conference has prepared a response to an attack on the Philippine Church by president-elect Rodrigo Duterte, but has decided not to publish it until after his presidential inauguration on June 30. The bishops’ response has been prepared against a background of apprehension that Mr Duterte’s accession to the presidency may see…
Derry seminars for priests and chaplains
Thornhill Ministries in Derry is hosting a workshop by Fr Hugh Lagan SMA for those working as chaplains, in healthcare teams or pastoral teams, and a seminar specifically for clergy. Fr Lagan is a native of Maghera, Co. Derry, a priest with the Society of African Missions and a clinical psychologist. He is currently…
Tyrone man hails ‘miracle’ birth against abortion advice
A Co. Tyrone man has described the birth of his son as “truly a miracle” after his wife went against doctors’ advice to have an abortion. Doctors had advised Liam Glass and his wife Cindy that their unborn child had no spleen and would not survive more than a week after birth. However, baby David…