Stop asking ‘What does God want in Ireland’, the world Church has spoken, now just do it!

In March 2021, the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference announced a Synodal Pathway for the Catholic Church in Ireland. This pathway has overlapped with the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the theme “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission,” which, after three years of deliberations, concluded in Rome last October. According…

The wrong end of the stick

Garry O’Sullivan sat down with columnist and retreat giver Fr Ron Rolheiser and asked him about Catholics and the reading of scripture.   G: Often people see some of the things you say somehow against Church teaching, is there a problem for many Catholics in their reading and understanding of the bible? Fr Rolheiser: I…

‘Picking up speed’ towards an Irish Synod

The Catholic bishops at their winter general meeting have called for the Synodal Pathway which began in 2021 and which they called a “providential development”, to “now continue” and  “pick up speed during 2025”.  The Synodal Pathway was essentially on hold until the Synod in Rome ended in October, however Synodal maestro Cardinal Grech has…

Bishops’ Conference to downsize

Downsizing seems to be the order of the day in Maynooth recently, and it’s not just for the bishops as the Nuncio tries to amalgamate dioceses that become vacant. New House in St Joseph’s Square in front of the main St Patrick’s College building has been sold to Maynooth University and it is understood the…

Dublin to get diocesan pastoral council

A deanery meeting is to be held in Dublin diocese this week to set up a diocesan pastoral council and another special deanery meeting is planned later in the month to nominate people to the council.  This comes as the diocese implements its pastoral strategic planning resource for 2025 to 2027.  The structure being put…