Additional Reporting (KNA) There is currently a lot of speculation in and around the Vatican. Only a few people know what the true state of the ailing Pope is. Now he is startling observers with a scheduled meeting – and awakening memories of Pope Benedict’s resignation. Despite his unchanged critical state of health, Pope Francis…
More Irish dioceses set to amalgamate Exclusive Ireland’s four archbishops are scheduled to fly to Rome this week for meetings with the Dicastery for Bishops to discuss Vatican plans to amalgamate more Irish dioceses. Bishops have come under increased pressure from the papal nuncio Archbishop Luis Mariano Montemayor to move faster on diocesan mergers. Last…
Nearly six months on from its last statement on the mishandling of child abuse allegations, the Diocese of Down and Connor has issued another statement about more failures in its approach to handling child sexual abuse. On February 23 the diocese said it received a credible allegation against Fr Patrick O’Neill (now deceased) in the…
A proposal by the Social Democrats and Labour to remove the prayer reading before Dáil sessions has been described as a “self-indulgent… contempt for Christian practices”. The prayer is read out in both Irish and English by the Ceann Comhairle before Dáil sessions. It is followed by a 30-second moment of reflection. Carol Nolan TD…
The recent trip by Bishop Donal McKeown of Derry to Rome to meet the head of the Dicastery for Bishops Bishop Robert Francis Prevost OSA (Augustinian) to petition for a change in Vatican policy towards plans to merge the diocese of Derry with the diocese of Raphoe has paid off The Irish Catholic understands. It…
February 24 marked the 3rd anniversary of the Ukrainian war. To mark the moment, Bishop of the Dioceses of Elphin and Achonry Kevin Doran published a message to the Ukrainians living in both dioceses. The bishop said he believes most of them would have hoped to be able to return to their countries by now,…
Over the weekend, more than 1,600 people gathered in the ExCel Centre in London for an Evangelisation conference on the Bible, organised by Word on Fire Catholic Ministries. Addressing the large crowd at the keynote address on Friday evening, Bishop Barron spoke in a tone of optimism in the spirit Pope Francis’ declaration of the…
Permanent Deacons from across the globe gathered in Rome from February 21 to 23 for the Jubilee of Deacons. Among the Irish representatives were Msgr La Flynn and Deacon Martin Donnelly from Lough Derg, who in 2025 are celebrating their 50th and 7th anniversary of ordination to permanent diaconate respectively. Speaking to The Irish Catholic,…
The Benedictine communities of Kylemore Abbey and of Abtei St Scholastika, Dinklage, Germany gave tribute to Mother Máire Hickey OSB who died on Sunday, February 23. Sr Hickey is known to have been a primary driver behind the building of the Benedictines new monastery, retreat, and education centre. She laid the first brick on February…
The death has occurred of a much-loved priest who won plaudits for his work exposing the mistreatment of prisoners and abuses by the security forces during the troubles. Msgr Raymond Murray, who was in his late 80s, also published books including with his clerical colleagues Msgr Denis Faul, who died some years ago. Fr Murray…
Chai Brady
Renata Steffens