The Irish clergy community in LA is pretty small and tightknit and are rallying around those affected by the fires, says Fr Jarlaith Cunnane from Sligo, Pastor at St Cornelius’ Church in Los Angeles speaking to The Irish Catholic. “Apocalyptic is the word that gets throw around. In scriptures it refers to disaster and a…
President promotes Jesuit Theologian to Young Scientists
President Michael D. Higgins in his speech at the BT Young Scientist &Technology Exhibition promoted the thinking of Jesuit scientist and theologian/mystic Pierre Teilhard de Chardin as an example of the potential interplay of science and ethics. “Science offers great possibilities that have a pivotal role to play and, at its best, in responding to…
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…
Laity praised as major review says Church ‘has good story to tell about safeguarding of children’
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…
Bishops Concerned Over Derry/Raphoe Merger Plan
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…
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…
Ask politicians where they stand on assisted suicide, Bishop Crean urges
Bishop William Crean, Bishop of Cloyne has issued an appeal to Catholic voters that when being canvassed over these days to ask prospective TDs to indicate clearly where they stand on assisted suicide/assisted death. “Our population is aging. The cost of nursing care is increasingly difficult for families. Enormous pressure will be brought to bear…