Month: April 2018

‘Triumphant’ celebrations as stolen heart of Dublin’s Saint returned

Christians poured into Christ Church Cathedral this evening after the Garda revealed today they recovered the heart of Dublin’s patron Saint. Six years after it was stolen, St Laurence O’Toole’s heart entered Dublin’s oldest cathedral once again: undamaged. Very Reverend Dermot Dunne, the Dean of Christ Church, received laughs after asking the congregation to “forgive…

Pope Francis visit could help revive Stormont

Exclusive Vatican should reconsider plans to skip North, urge Protestant leaders   Colm 
Fitzpatrick,
 Greg
 Daly
 and Martin
 O’Brien   The Pope could help towards resolving political tensions in the North of Ireland and bring about the re-establishment of Stormont, a prominent Protestant minister has said. Dr Ken Newell, a former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland who played a…

Summit prayer vigil on Reek to save Eighth

Every day until Referendum day a group of lay people and clergy are climbing Croagh Patrick and spending 24 hours in prayer at the summit before the Blessed Sacrament for the preservation of the Eighth Amendment. Tuam’s Archbishop Michael Neary and Westport parish priest, Fr Charlie McDonnell gave their blessing to the venture which began on April…

Don’t lose our Penal Times heritage, warns scholar

Precious symbols of Catholic faith are being lost to Irish heritage as awareness of Mass rocks disappears from living memory, a leading academic has warned. University of Liverpool-based human geographer Dr Hilary Bishop, who has extensively researched Mass rocks, discovered that in Co. Cork alone there are at least 300 more Mass rocks than are…

Pope appoints three lay women to Church watchdog

In an unprecedented move, Pope Francis has appointed three female academics as consultants to the Vatican’s doctrinal watchdog, paving the way for women to have a more integral role in the Church’s central administration. The Vatican announced on April 21 that the Pontiff had named three women and two priests as consultants to the Congregation…

Vanity – or Catholic fashion?

This is the season for clearing out our winter wardrobes, and digging out spring and summer clothes: a task which can prompt many reflections on our lifestyles and homespun philosophy about sartorial indulgence. As I unzip the bags full of seasonal apparel, I wonder just how much time, money and effort is spent in the…