Bishop Daniel Delany Penal Times bishop voted Laois ‘all time great’
An 18th-Century bishop has been voted the greatest Laois person of all time.
Bishop Daniel Delany won 89% of the final vote in the Leinster Express poll.
Born in 1747, Fr Delaney trained for the priesthood in France where he was ordained in 1770. Returning to Ireland in 1776, he began Sunday schools the help of lay adults. He was ordained a bishop in 1783, becoming Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin in 1786.
To ensure a steady supply of catechists, he started the Brigidine Sisters in 1807 and the Patrician Brothers in 1808. He died in 1814.
Low collections points to disapproval – poll
A narrow majority of voters in a Facebook poll for The Irish Catholic believes declining Church collection figures around the country are due to parishioners voting with their wallets rather than simply failing to carry suitable amounts of cash.
At close of polling, 52% of 147 voters said they believed that – leaving aside the effects of smaller congregations – lower collection totals were due to parishioners not contributing due to disagreement with Church teaching or practice, while 48% said those attending Mass were simply not carrying enough cash.
Short film depicts reality of homelessness
A homeless charity has launched a behind-the-scenes short film to show the human reality of Ireland’s homeless and addiction crisis this week.
Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) works with people who are homeless, in addiction, or suffering from mental health difficulties. With at least 10,000 people homeless and an ongoing drugs epidemic, the film depicts a front-line organisation responding to some of Ireland’s most urgent social problems.
CEO Paula Byrne said: “Our hope for this film is to make their voices heard, so we can deepen understanding of what it means to be in addiction and homeless…”