Growth in QUB Catholic Chaplaincy shows students want something ‘lasting’

Two members of the Catholic Chaplaincy in Queen’s University Belfast have described the recent upward trend in the number of students registering to take part in Chaplaincy-related activities for the forthcoming year as being indicative of student’s natural “curiosity” to find something a little more “meaningful and lasting” in their young lives. The latest statistics…

South Sudan has challenges but faith is ‘vibrant’ – Irish papal nuncio

Beginning his first few weeks as the first resident Vatican representative to South Sudan, Archbishop Séamus Patrick Horgan, from Co. Clare, attests that the Church in South Sudan is alive, and despite the enormous challenges faced by the world’s youngest nation, it tenaciously testifies to its unwavering faith and generosity. Speaking to Vatican News about…

Young and old embrace ‘the Millennial Saint’

The relic of the ‘Millennial Saint’, Blessed Carlo Acutis concluded its four-parish tour of Ireland on Tuesday, with hundreds of people, a considerable portion of them youth, flocking to churches in the Leinster region to catch a glimpse of the eternal teenager whose profound faith in the face of a terminal illness is inspiring young…

Catholic doctor: Conscientious objection being ‘shockingly affronted’

Speaking in advance of the Catholic Medical Association of Ireland’s 7th annual conference this Saturday, President of the association, Dr Keith Holmes, has described the current treatment of Catholic healthcare professionals who are forced to deal with a radically different end-of-life culture, as a “shocking affront” to the principle of conscientious objection and has caused…

Bishop Hayes encourages action to sustain creation on ‘Environment Day’

On 7 September, Bishop Martin Hayes of Kilmore, Episcopal Coordinator for Laudato Si’/Laudate Deum, and a member of the Laudato Si’ Working Group (LSWG) of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference, was invited to speak in Kinsale, Co Cork, as part of the current Season of Creation celebrations. In his presentation, Bishop Hayes highlighted the main theme of Laudato Si’,…

Some saints can be extraordinarily ordinary

The traditional discourse associated with the concept of sainthood typically revolves around descriptions of heroism, daring defiance and grandiose gestures of faith. In time, this perception has begun to shift and allow for a more modest, grounded, even unassuming perception of saintly figures and their path to inclusion in the lofty litany. Ireland’s own Frank…

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Politicians: Calls to remove religious orders from schools politically ‘opportunistic’ and ‘bigoted’

Two politicians have slammed the recent calls to remove religious orders from schools, with one saying that it is an example of “bigotry and opportunism” that seeks to promote a specific personal agenda rather than focus on the harms that have been inflicted on survivors of abuse in religious-run schools. Speaking to The Irish Catholic,…