Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin Archbishop asks for prayers for Orlando
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has asked for the Prayers of the Faithful at all Masses in the Dublin archdiocese on the coming weekend to remember those who have been affected by the shooting in a nightclub in Orlando on Sunday, which killed 50 people and left several more injured.
He also cautioned against “unfoundedly” and “often hastily point[ing] at the entire honest Islamic community”. He noted that “any culture which gives notoriety to violence only encourages the deranged or the simply evil to attempt to repeat such actions”.
Coole parish celebrates 175 years
This year marks the 175th anniversary of the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Coole, Co. Westmeath. As part of celebrations, the church will be hosting a programme of events from June 26-July 2 under the theme of the Seven Sacraments. The goal of the programme is to commemorate the Seven Pillars of the Church while honouring the 175 years of the church’s presence in Coole.
The parish is taking the opportunity of the anniversary to restore not only the physical church building, but also to renovate the building blocks of the faith community in Coole, Whitehall and the surrounding area.
Bishops concerned refugees left on ‘back burner’
The Irish Bishops’ Conference has expressed concern that the process of taking refugees “seems to have been allowed to slip to the back-burner of politics”.
In a statement issued at the end of their Summer 2016 General Meeting, the bishops said “the level of solidarity is often inadequate” for “our brothers and sisters currently in dire need in our continent of Europe and further afield”.
They also noted “with concern” the lack of “significant progress regarding the condition of asylum seekers in direct provision centres in Ireland” and encouraged people to “lobby their politicians” in the areas where the centres are located.