Renata SteffensBy Renata Steffens and Pedro Esteva
The Year of Hope was marked by many events worldwide. In Ireland, it was not different, as the Irish faithful celebrated the Jubilee Year with nationwide and local events. In addition to those events, Irish Catholics saw a number of other important events taking place.
Commemorating the Jubilee of Hope, the Pilgrimage Passport was created, encouraging people to visit the three national Shrines. In Dublin, a pilgrimage called ‘Pockets of Hope’ links churches around the city.
2025 was also the year Dublin got its first Catholic Cathedral after centuries, with ‘St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral’ now being designated ‘St Mary’s Cathedral’.
St Oliver Plunkett was a big name last year, it was a celebration of 400 years since his birth and 50 years since his canonisation. Another saint’s anniversary to attract The Irish Catholic’s attention was Matt Talbot’s centenary of death, which resulted in multiple events around the country.
St Carlo Acutis was canonised last September, and his mother gave a first-class relic to Fr Michael Toomey. That relic is now displayed in a shrine in Holy Family Church Ardfinnan.
Another big moment, this time especially for Donegal, was the appointment of Bishop Niall Coll as Bishop of Raphoe, his native diocese.
Photo: Diocese of Limerick.
he is installed as bishop of his home Diocese of Raphoe.
Photo: Brian McDaid.
Pilgrim Passport stamped in Lough Derg on September 6.
That was Fr Gibbons third and last stamp to complete his
Passport and was presented with a Jubilee edition pin by
Prior Msgr La Flynn.
Square before the Jubilee opening Mass. The Youth Jubilee
took place from July 29 to August 3, 2025. The Youth
Jubilee had a crowd of over a million young people from all
over the world. Photo: Diocese of Clogher.
Lismore Alphonsus Cullinan, PP Fr Michael Toomey, and
Séamus Ong of Carlo Acutis Youth Ireland at the installation
of the first-class relic of St Carlo Acutis in Holy Family
Church Ardfinnan, on October 12, 2025.
lay) meeting with Pope Leo on the occasion of the 50th
anniversary of the canonisation of St Oliver Plunkett. Photo:
Vatican Media.
Auxiliary Bishop Paul Dempsey and with the relics of
Matt Talbot, which have been entrusted to them for 2025,
the Centenary year of Matt Talbot’s death. Photo: John
McElroy.
St Peter’s Church in Drogheda, Co. Louth, attend
the celebration of the ‘Saint Oliver Plunkett 400’
commemorative booklet. Photo: Liam McArdle.
12 February 2025
St Peter’s Church Drogheda
CREDIT: LiamMcArdle.com
POCKETS OF HOPE. A PILGRIMAGE WITH POPE FRANCIS.
Archbishop Dermot Farrell of Dublin and Auxiliary Bishop
Paul Dempsey are pictured atone of the posters which can
be seen on the ‘Pockets of Hope’ pilgrimage route – the idea
of Mary-Aoife Ong and Fr Alan Hillard (also pictured). The
route includes St Mary’s Cathedral, Our Lady of Lourdes on
Sean McDermott St, Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
City Quay, and St Andrew’s Church, Westland Row. There
is a further display in St Kevin’s Church, Glendalough. The
pilgrimage route was created for the Jubilee Year of Hope
2025 and at each church posters can be seen with quotes
taken from Pope Francis’ message Spes Non Confundit
(Hope Does Not Disappoint). Photo: John McElroy.
designating St Mary’s as a Cathedral for the Archdiocese of
Dublin during the Masson Friday, November 14, to mark the
Bicentenary of St Mary’s Cathedral. Photo: John McElroy.