“More things are wrought by prayer than this world realises,” said Fr Richard Gibbons, rector at Knock Shrine, speaking with this paper preceding the annual Novena at Knock Shrine, that began on August 14. The event is expected to draw over 130,000 faithful, as it has done for the last 47 years. However, as the…
The unity of the People of God, alive within Ireland’s Hispanic Mass
The only weekly Mass celebrated in Spanish in Ireland attracts over 100 attendees, making it a foundation for this community, offering a connection to faith, culture, and community for thousands of people. According to the 2022 census, 48,113 people in Ireland speak Spanish at home, forming a significant part of the country’s multicultural structure. Every…
Sr Briege McKenna’s vision about the priesthood-crisis realised
Sr Briege McKenna, Catholic nun, mystic and author of Miracles Do Happen, during her current visit to Ireland shared a vision of a crisis within the Church – one she believes has already begun. Sr Briege described an image she received: “I saw this image of a vast desert and people were crying… And He…
Doctor who became priest saved lives but wanted to save souls too
A young newly ordained Dominican priest has described how the call of vocation never leaves and can even turn up in the most stressful of circumstances. Fr Chris Gault OP was a doctor in the emergency room in a Belfast hospital. “It explains instances like the one I experienced in a Belfast hospital’s emergency department…
Extraordinary demand for Miraculous Medals in Dublin
Since the world was on pause because of the COVID pandemic in 2020, there has been a notable uptick in demand for Miraculous Medals, a symbol of faith and divine intervention that dates back to 1830. Sr Anne O’Neill of the Daughters of Charity runs the office responsible for distributing these medals in Dublin and…
The legionary mission of the Miraculous Medal
The Legion of Mary, a worldwide Catholic lay organisation, operates with firm devotion under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Central to their mission is the distribution of the Miraculous Medal, a small yet powerful sacramental with a history dating back to 1830. For legionaries like Fabiola Amorim, the mission is not just about…
The desire for truth and beauty in a world led by noise and distraction
Is the world craving the good, the true and the beautiful more than ever? On July 26, more than 200 attendees, including bishops, clergy, religious figures, and laity from all over the country, gathered at the Church of Mary Refuge of Sinners in Rathmines, Dublin. A location designed for a remarkable moment that reignited a…
Sr Briege McKenna begins tour around Ireland
Sr Briege McKenna, OSC, a renowned Catholic author and speaker, has started her tour across Ireland on August 5. Known for her books Miracles Do Happen and The Power of the Sacraments, she will visit Dundalk on August 16 and 17, before concluding her tour at St Patrick’s College in Maynooth on August 23. Born…
800 years thanksgiving Mass in Knock highlights lasting mission of the Order of Preachers, says OP provincial
The Irish Dominicans commemorated 800 years since the first Dominicans arrived in Ireland with a special Mass broadcasted by RTÉ from Knock on July 28th. The basilica was filled with Dominican nuns, sisters, lay Dominicans, the choir from St Mary’s, Co. Cork, friars, members of Dominican youth groups, and communities linked with the Order of…
Ireland needs to learn how to ‘see’ again, Bill Donaghy
Two Catholic young-adult groups based in Dublin, ‘Youth Rathmines’ and ‘Pure in Heart’, joined forces to bring ‘The Way of Wonder’ to Ireland from the USA. The event, which took place on July 26 at Mary Immaculate Church in Rathmines, Co. Dublin, attracted over 200 attendees eager to experience a unique three-hour immersive journey of…