New SPHE curriculum ‘ignores’ spiritual wellbeing
Catholic schools’ bodies have warned that a draft for a new SPHE curriculum for Senior Cycle “ignores” and “underplays” spiritual wellbeing. However, they broadly welcomed the revision of the social, personal and health education (SPHE) curriculum, calling it “coherent and relevant” to the lives of modern teens. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA)… […]
Tributes amass for bishop known for ‘joyful faith’ and soccer zeal
Dedicated football fan Bishop Tony Farquhar will “long be remembered for his disarming presence, his affectionate smile and his pastoral charity”, according to Bishop Donal McKeown of Derry diocese following his death last week. The late Belfast-born Bishop Farquhar, one of the longest serving bishops in Ireland’s history, famously set up the meeting between the… […]
Prayer was key for Ben Dunne
Well-known businessman Ben Dunne, who died aged 74 on Sunday, had a prayer he said every day. The controversial former chief executive of Dunnes Stores, who also built a chain of gyms, died during a trip to Dubai. During an interview with RTÉ in 2021 regarding the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic Mr Dunne said… […]
Ireland joins in calls to make Newman ‘Doctor of the Church’
The founder of University College Dublin could soon be one of only a select few figures to be declared a ‘Doctor of the Church’ with momentum growing to grant Cardinal John Henry Newman the rare ecclesiastical honour. Cardinal Newman, who was made a saint by Pope Francis in 2019, has sometimes been referred to as… […]
SVP expects record calls for help this Christmas
The Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) has estimated it will receive more than quarter of a million requests for help this year, as Christmas approaches. With calls for help already at almost 200,000 to date, the society expects calls at the end of this year to well exceed last year’s record of 230,000 calls.… […]
36 men discern vocation to priesthood
Thirty-six men from dioceses across Ireland enrolled in this year’s weekend gathering from November 18-19, in the national seminary of St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, to help discern a priestly vocation. According to Fr Willie Purcell, director of the National Vocations Office of the Irish Bishops’ Conference: “The weekend offers those discerning a vocation to the… […]
What battles are we losing when the holy water fonts are dry?
Elizabeth Scalia In chapter 31 of her autobiography, the 16th Century Carmelite St Teresa of Avila – one of four female doctors of the Church, including her spiritual daughter, St Thérèse of Lisieux – urges us toward frequent use of one particular, very common and (usually) widely available sacramental. “From long experience I have… […]
Irish priest in Holy Land welcomes 240 displaced Israelis to Galilee
An Irish priest based in Magdala on the shore of the Sea of Galilee has said that “providence” organised their presence there so that they could receive around 240 Israelis displaced from the north due to ongoing fighting with militant group Hezbollah. Fr Eamon Kelly LC told The Irish Catholic that after the flow of… […]
How decluttering our lives and homes advances our spiritual lives
In the battle against clutter both physical and spiritual, the path to holiness lies, writes Emily Stimpson Chapman Religious have it easy – at least in some regards. Consider, for example, their vow of poverty. Religious brothers, sisters and priests pledge a sacred oath that shields them from basements overrun by toys, cupboards overflowing… […]
Catholic app defends using Liam Neeson for prayer voiceovers
A popular Catholic app has defended employing Irish actor Liam Neeson for prayer voiceovers, as it faced backlash due Mr Neeson’s pro-choice positions. In a statement, Hallow, a prayer app with millions of users, said Mr Neeson and his fellow actors have done “an incredible job” recording scripts for the Advent season. Mr Neeson joined… […]