Fr Patrick Briscoe World Youth Day (WYD) brings together young people from every corner of the globe to celebrate their Catholic faith. Away from home and buoyed by the witness of their peers, it becomes possible for many to have a transforming encounter with Jesus Christ. But it is not friends, travel or universal embrace…
Ignatian prayer: imagination brings the Gospels to life
Effie Caldarola Today, I spent time with the Gerasene demoniac. At least I did so in my imagination. I journeyed there in prayer and then stood with Jesus, watching the tortured and screaming man descending the hillside and identifying his demons as “legion”. Praying with the imagination is a hallmark of Ignatian spirituality. It’s an…
US endures ‘staggering’ record number of mass killings in first half of 2023
Kate Scanlon The United States endured a record number of mass killings in the first half of 2023, according to a new analysis. The report came in tandem with news that at least four people were killed in a mass shooting in Hampton, Georgia, south of Atlanta, on July 15. A database maintained by The…
Valuing the voice of youth in the Church
Dear Editor, Congratulations to the bishops for leading young pilgrims to World Youth Day in Lisbon, an event which serves as a beacon of hope and unity, fostering the Faith among the youth of Ireland and beyond. It deserves recognition and celebration. World Youth Day holds profound significance for young people and provides them with…
Vatican to investigate lay society in Peru
The Vatican has commissioned a new investigation of the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae (Sodality of Christian Life), a lay society of apostolic life founded in Peru. The investigation will be led by Archbishop Charles Scicluna, assistant secretary of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and an expert on sexual abuse, the Peruvian newspaper La…
The Confession Box – Episode 1
Introducing: The Confession Box As freedom of speech and expression become more and more restricted in our world – the Confession Box provides a safe space where no subject is taboo and every voice gets a hearing. Join us on all major streaming apps or get in touch by emailing garry@gracecommunications.ie On this episode of…
Brief Notes
KYIV BISHOP OPENS UP ABOUT WAR’S SPIRITUAL IMPACT Kyiv Bishop opens up about War With Russia’s full-scale invasion surpassing the 500-day mark, OSV News traveled to Kyiv to meet with Bishop Vitalii Kryvytskyi of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kyiv-Zhytomyr, who shared his reflections on the war’s spiritual impact. Air raid sirens, soldiers’ funerals and…
Cardinal Marx apologises for previous bishop’s role in brutal WWII massacre
Cardinal Reinhard Marx asked for forgiveness in the case of a German WWII massacre in Italy on the orders of a man who went on to become a bishop in Munich. Before he ascended to the rank of auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising in 1968, Matthias Defregger wore a different uniform.…
Synod’s first-ever discussion of ‘LGBTQ+ people’ raises important pastoral questions
Kimberley Heatherington Those who minister to, or are part of, the community of people who identify as LGBTQ+ have observed a noted shift with respect to them and their concerns in the working document for the Church’s forthcoming synod of bishops convened by Pope Francis. The working document, or Instrumentum Laboris, was released June 20…
Hospitality embodies the Gospel message and challenges the Church
Thomas O’Loughlin Hospitality is something we all know about. We have all experienced true, warm hospitality that puts us at our ease. Inhospitality has also left a trail in our memories. In Matthew hospitality is offered as a key to discipleship, and inhospitality is presented as the signal of failure in following Jesus. “I was…