Ireland’s newest bishop has warned that politicians would be making a big mistake if they push ahead with plans to secularise faith-based schools. Bishop of Ossory Niall Coll, who was ordained on Sunday, told The Irish Catholic that in the Republic “you get the impression that someone has decided that we have to become an…
Brigidine Sr Rita Minehan CSB hopes that people will see “the beauty of faith” as the first ever bank holiday for St Brigid’s day takes place on February 6. The Irish saint’s “beautiful witness” of care for the poor speaks loudly to today, believes Sr Minehan, chairperson of Solas Bhríde Christian spirituality centre. “She was…
A homeless charity has warned that once the current eviction ban ends in March there will be a large increase in the number of people becoming homeless and needing their assistance. Paul Sheehan of the Cork Simon Community told The Irish Catholic that lifting the pause on evictions, which is in place from October 30,…
Loreto Sister Orla Treacy from Co. Wicklow is currently accompanying 60 students and pilgrims on a 405km pilgrimage from the diocese of Rumbek to South Sudan’s capital, Juba for the Pope’s upcoming ecumenical visit. Pope Francis is scheduled to make an ecumenical pilgrimage to Juba, South Sudan, February 3-5 with Anglican Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury and…
Schools’ bodies in the North have shared “significant concerns” about the impact of the “crisis” in education funding, warning of negative impacts for many generations to come. There is a need for an “urgent meeting involving everyone with a concern for the future of our children and young people,” say the schools’ bodies in a…
Pilgrimage is an age-old Christian tradition for a reason, writes Zac Davis So many significant moments in my spiritual life are tied to sights, smells, sounds and emotions felt on a pilgrimage: The deep sigh after walking all the way up from the train stop to the Basilica of St Francis of Assisi. My jaw…
Amid continuing controversy over strict limits on behaviour outside abortion clinics in some English cities, a man faces a fine for praying silently outside one clinic in memory of his dead son. “I would never have imagined being in a position to risk a criminal record for praying silently,” Adam Smith-Connor said, according to the…
A French nun who was the world’s oldest person died last week aged 118. Sr André, who joined the Daughters of Charity in 1944, died in her sleep in her nursing home in Toulon. She was originally born into a Protestant family but later converted to Catholicism and was baptised aged 26. With the Daughters…
Every year the week of prayer for Christian unity comes and goes. Traditionally, the week is celebrated between January 18-25, and is greeted with varying degrees of enthusiasm. If we’re honest, most of us pay little more than lip service to the commemoration. Coming as it does so close after Christmas, many parishes find themselves…
I’ve already looked at several films from the Vatican’s list of 45 significant films. This week, I will add Monsieur Vincent. The 1947 French film is a picaresque account of the life of St Vincent de Paul, founder of the Daughters of Charity. As Catholic film critic Deacon Steven Greydanus puts it, there are many…
Chai Brady
Ruadhán Jones
Michael Kelly