Overseas priests call for renewed drive to foster home-grown vocations Ireland cannot rely indefinitely on overseas priests to compensate for falling local vocations and needs a renewed drive to encourage Irish men toward the priesthood, missionary priests serving in Ireland have told The Irish Catholic. “I’ll serve as a jack. I’ll lift your car, but…
Category: News
Relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux and her parents in Carlow
“The family of faith is the greatest gift” parents can give their children, Fr Willie Purcell has said, as relics of Sts Louis and Zélie Martin, the parents of St Thérèse of Lisieux, were welcomed to the Carmelite Monastery in Tallow, Co. Waterford. The relics of the canonised married couple and their daughter St Thérèse…
Education on female health from Catholic perspective lacking
Speaking ahead of the opening of a new fertility and female health centre in Co. Meath, co-owner Kay O’Dwyer and NaPro Fertility doctor Kirsty Chapman, who runs a clinic at the centre, said the education on female sexual health from a Catholic perspective is lacking in the current curriculum. The St Brigid’s Centre of Female…
Irish Aid annual report reveals global impact of Irish generosity for humanitarian work
Commenting after Irish Aid published their 2025 Annual Report, which demonstrated Ireland’s leading role in overseas development aid, Trócaire CEO Seán Farrell said the organisation “remain[s] grateful to Irish Aid, Barry Andrews MEP, and Minister Neale Richmond’s continued support and commitment to our programmes.” In a recent interview with this newspaper, Mr Farrell also cited…
President Connolly’s gifts to Trump convey message of peace and faith
During the US President’s courtesy call to Áras an Uachtaráin on Saturday, September 12, President Connolly presented President Trump with three gifts: a St Brigid’s Cross, a copy of the book Navigato Sancti Brendani – The Voyage of St Brendan and a collection of Michael Longley poems, including his sonnet ‘Ceasefire’. The gifts reflected the…
Ossory and Ferns will be a collaborative Church, says new Bishop of Ossory
“An emerging Church of co-responsible action depends on relationships of genuine trust,” said Bishop Ger Nash in his homily at his Installation ceremony as Bishop of Ossory, on Sunday, September 13, in St Mary’s Cathedral, Kilkenny. The now Bishop of Ferns and Ossory spoke about synodality and how the “The Synodal Pathway calls us to…
Ardens missionaries begin new UCC campus mission
Ardens missionaries have begun work at University College Cork, continuing the campus ministry developed by FOCUS over the past three years. The new Europe-based Catholic apostolate includes 17 missionaries previously trained by FOCUS and is deploying teams to Cork, Belfast, Passau and Vienna. Bishop Fintan Gavin of Cork and Ross welcomed the new missionaries during…
Families from across Ireland gather in Termonbacca for annual Mass
The Catholic Mothers Ireland received families from across the island of Ireland at their annual National Mass and Family Day, which, this year, took place in Termonbacca, Co. Derry. As the organisation is composed of small groups in local parishes, the annual Mass is thought to be a moment for all members to come together…
Catholic Schools Vision part of three year formation plan from bishops’ conference
The Catholic Education Partnership (CEP) has published a new vision document setting out the identity and mission of the Catholic school in Ireland, describing such schools as offering a “unique, vibrant, nurturing environment” for students, families, the Church and wider society. The vision document will be launched on October 16. The document, A Vision for…
Wilmer: the protection of life must not pit people against one another
Ahead of the March for Life in Berlin scheduled for Saturday, the Chairman of the German Bishops’ Conference has called for vigilance. “Anyone who wishes to protect human life cannot at the same time pit people against one another, exclude them or relativise their dignity,” said Bishop Heiner Wilmer in his message to the march…





Renata Steffens


