Archbishop Thomas White RIP
The death has occurred of a former priest of the Diocese of Ossory and Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Thomas A. White. The former Papal Nuncio to Rwanda, Ethiopia and New Zealand, passed away on Sunday, May 7.
Archbishop White studied for the priesthood in St Kieran’s College, Kilkenny, and later in Rome until his ordination in 1956, when he went on to a career in the diplomatic service of the Holy See which saw him posted to nunciatures across the world.
Following his retirement, Archbishop White returned to Ireland. Msgr Michael Ryan, administrator of the Diocese of Ossory, said “Archbishop White lived out his life and ministry in service of the Gospel”.
Galway to host gospel and choral festival
The eighth annual Gospel Rising Music Festival – Ireland’s biggest gospel music and choral festival – heads for Galway City’s West End from May 12-14. A jam-packed weekend of concerts, workshops and interactive events beckons with choirs, artists and world-class musical mentors visiting from Britain, Spain and all across Ireland.
Hosted by IGNITE Gospel Choir in Galway, some of the workshop leaders include Irish band Corner Boy, Rónán Ó’Snodaigh (Kila), Moises Sala (Gospel Viu), Grace Savage (UK Beatboxing Champion) and Gemma Sugrue.
Workshops are available to book on www.gospelrising.com
Derry Rosary group marks 30 years
Members of the Rosary Group that has been meeting every month in Termonbacca in Derry since the Marian Year of 1987, gathered last week with Bishop Donal McKeown for a celebration of Mass to mark the milestone.
The group was the first to raise money to build what is now ‘the big room’ in the Iona Carmelite Retreat Centre (known locally as Termonbacca) used regularly by groups like Cursillo and COR.
At the Mass Bishop McKeown reflected on the power of prayer: “It is a meditation on the life of Jesus from the Bible using mainly words taken from the Bible. No wonder it is so powerful! And you have no idea how much good your faithful praying has done.”
Church historian becomes papal knight
One of Ireland’s leading Church historians has been appointed a papal knight. Dundalk-born Prof. Eamon Duffy, Emeritus Professor of the History of Christianity at the University of Cambridge, was instituted last weekend into the Papal Order of St Gregory, along with his theologian colleague Prof. Nicholas Lash.
Prof. Duffy, a former member of the Pontifical Historical Commission, is perhaps best known for his award-winning and highly influential 1992 study, The Stripping of the Altars: traditional Religion in England 1400-1570, and Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes, published in 1997 to accompany a TV series.