After over 200 school entries and hundreds more applications the Fáilte Pope Francis competition has finally been announced and the awards will go to three lucky contestants from schools across Ireland. Aoife Murphy (7) from Scoil Mhuire na nGael, Bay Estate in Dundalk scooped the grand prize of €1,000 euro after displaying a level of…
Even though the Church has all the necessary norms and laws in place to safeguard minors from abuse by clergy, the problem continues to be a lack in understanding or caring about those rules and guidelines and applying them effectively, said one Jesuit expert. What must change “without a doubt” are Church procedures for handling…
A pro-life group and parents of children with Down syndrome have expressed their hurt and anger following remarks made by Micheál Martin concerning the presence of disability activists in the Eighth Amendment debate. Micheal O’Dowd of the group Disability Voices for Life said that the Fianna Fáil leader had “crossed a line” and “was trying…
The Iona Institute has launched a new national billboard campaign to promote the right to life of the unborn. The billboards show an image of the unborn baby at 11 weeks with the simple message ‘one of us’. Speaking on behalf of The Iona Institute, Maria Steen said that neither the Citizens’ Assembly nor the…
As the Church celebrated the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, a French bishop announced the 70th officially recognised miraculous cure of a pilgrim to the Lourdes grotto where Mary appeared 160 years ago. Bishop Jacques Benoit-Gonnin of Beauvais formally declared this week “the prodigious, miraculous character” of the healing of Sr Bernadette Moriau, a…
Over 600 people gathered in Dún Laoghaire last weekend to celebrate the value of unborn children, with the aim of keeping Ireland’s constitutional protections for the unborn. The event, ‘Loving the 8th’, took place on Saturday, 10 February and was organised by Dún Laoghaire Life Canvass and Cherish All the Children Equally as part of…
Healing found in wounds of Christ, Pope tells Stigmatines A devotion to and meditation on the five wounds of Christ “may sound a bit medieval”, but anyone who recognises he or she is wounded will find mercy and healing in the passion of Christ, Pope Francis has said. Meeting with members of the Stigmatine order, the Pope distributed his prepared text and then…
Formalising their unity in the intimate setting of the papal residence’s chapel, Pope Francis and Melkite Patriarch Joseph Absi have concelebrated Mass together in the presence of members of the Melkite synod of bishops. Instead of giving a homily at the February 13 early morning Mass, Pope Francis explained the special nature of Patriarch Absi’s…
The World Meeting of Families is inviting couples to share special tokens of love with a difference for Saint Valentine’s Day this year. Following Pope Francis’ calls to celebrate St Valentine’s Day in a more meaningful way, WMOF2018 is asking couples to think beyond the traditional box of chocolates or bunch of flowers to tokens…
Pope Francis has said that the faithful who attend Mass lack a fundamental right if they do not receive a well-prepared and well-preached homily. Speaking in St Peter’s Square during his weekly general address on Ash Wednesday, the Pontiff said that in the Liturgy of the Word, the Lord speaks for both pastors and faithful,…
Chai Brady
Colm Fitzpatrick