The community of Abbeyside, Co. Waterford, has come together to save the ancient Bell Tower of St Augustine’s Church, which has stood on the edge of Dungarvan Harbour since 1450. Water seeping into the 574-year-old tower threatened its structural integrity, leaving parishioners and parish priest Fr Ned Hassett facing a €70,000 repair bill. Fr Hassett…
Youth 2000 recently celebrated their National Christmas Retreat at the Dominican College, Newbridge, Co. Kildare, with 520 young people aged 18 to 35 attending. The weekend featured workshops by Holy Family Mission, NET Ministries, and Pure in Heart, along with talks on topics like The Creed by Fr Stephen Kennedy. “The women’s vocation workshop was…
Fundamental to our faith is our belief in the sanctity of human life, from conception to natural end, because all life comes from God. This eternal truth informs all we do. In the secular world there is no belief in God, and, for many, little belief in the sanctity of human life. Those who have…
It’s almost 40 years since Jeffrey Dudgeon successfully changed the law in Northern Ireland. And it took courage as he was living in real fear, under an unjust law: his house had been raided, and he had been arrested and interrogated by the Royal Ulster Constabulary. His crime? Dudgeon was a gay man and homosexual…
Ennis Parish celebrated the centenary of two parishioners last weekend. Mary Cahir was born on December 8, 1924, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and Mary Galvin was born on December 6 in the same year. They are both still active Mass goers. Fr Tom Ryan PP said the parish has “quite [a] number of…
An independent major external review has said that “the Church has a good story to tell about what it has implemented and achieved in relation to the safeguarding of children over the last 20 years…and “it is now regarded by some commentators as an exemplar in the Catholic Church globally”. The review went on to…
The Veritas shop in Letterkenny is set to close its doors this week, bringing an emotional end to an institution that has served the faith community in Donegal for decades. A special Mass of thanksgiving was held to commemorate the shop’s contribution to the Diocese of Raphoe, with former Bishop Philip Boyce paying tribute to…
Advent is a time of preparation, when we slow down a little, anticipate what is ahead and prepare for what is to come. As I read about the funeral of Mary Regan in Co. Carlow a few days ago, I was reminded of the similarities between Advent and the funeral mass as celebrated in the…
You will be aware of the phrase “First World Problem”, usually employed sarcastically. It’s an apt description of those spoilt folk in the rich world whinging about trivialities while so much of the globe experiences real suffering. So, this may seem something of a “First World Problem”, but I’ll mention it just the same as…
Bishop Donal McKeown of Derry flew to Rome in recent weeks to meet the head of the Dicastery for Bishops Bishop Robert Francis Prevost O.S.A.(Augustinian) to petition for a change in Vatican policy towards plans to merge the dioceses of Derry and Raphoe, The Irish Catholic understands. It is believed that Bishop McKeown went to…
Nuala O’Loan
Martina Purdy
Renata Steffens
Maria Steen
Mary Kenny