Pope Francis at Urbi et Orbi: Christmas invites us to dialogue, unity, peace
Pope Francis gave his traditional Christmas message followed by his “Urbi et Orbi” blessing (to the city and the world) to crowds of pilgrims gathered in a rainy Saint Peter’s Square and to the world via a broadcast and streaming spanning the globe. In his opening words he announced “the Word of God, who created […]
Rejoice in Christ’s birth – Archbishop Eamon Martin
In his Christmas Message, Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh invites people to remember the true meaning of Christmas, especially as the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic remain. “The Coronavirus retains its grip, making us feel uncertain, weary and confused and even fearful of the latest variant,” he says. “How much we all need to hear […]
Pope Francis: Christmas an invitation to adore the Son of God
With the Christmas season fast approaching, Pope Francis took the opportunity of his weekly General Audienceon 22 December to reflect on the birth of Jesus – an event that “history cannot dispense with.” Recalling the familiar figures of Mary and Joseph in the stable at Bethlehem, the humble shepherds, and the rich and powerful Magi […]
Everyone has a creative role to play in building peace – Pope’s Message for World Day of Peace released by Vatican
The Vatican Press Office hosted a press conference on Tuesday to coincide with the release of Pope Francis’ message for the 55th World Day of Peace, to be held on 1 January. The Pope’s message goes under the title: “Dialogue Between Generations, Education and Work: Tools for Building Lasting Peace”. Three Vatican officials presented the […]
Catholic Bishops of Northern Ireland disappointed by rejection of Severe Fetal Impairment Abortion Amendment Bill NI
A Bill calling for the prevention of abortions in cases on non-fatal disabilities (the Severe Fetal Impairment Abortion Amendment Bill NI,) was defeated in a vote at Stormont last Tuesday. Assembly members voted 45 to 42 to reject the Bill. The Catholic Bishops of Northern Ireland have expressed their grave concern at the vote. In […]
Sharing the Wisdom of Time with Pope Francis on Netflix
Pope Francis has always been a champion of intergenerational dialogue and in 2018 commissioned a book which shares the insights of older people from around the globe with young people today. The award-winning Sharing the Wisdom of Time pools the wisdom of elders with the passion and energy of youth, empowering our younger generations to step into the world of tomorrow […]
Last week of Catholic Bishops’ Conference 2021 Digital Advent Calendar
Sunday 19 December was the fourth Sunday of Advent and marked the final week of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference digital Advent Calendar for 2021. Now in its eighth year, the unique digital Advent Calendar is offering resources for the parish, school and for families which can be accessed behind a virtual door each day […]
Archbishops of Armagh issue joint message for Christmas 2021
The Catholic and Church of Ireland Archbishops of Armagh have issued a joint message for Christmas in which they offer words of hope to people who are contemplating another difficult Christmas because of the Covid-19 pandemic. ] You can read their message below: Just before Christmas 1937 Monsignor Ronald Knox wrote a letter to the […]
Pope Francis receives a group of refugees from Cyprus
On his 85th birthday, Pope Francis met with a group of refugees arriving from Cyprus with the support of the Holy Father and the Community of Sant’Egidio. The group of about ten is the first one scheduled to arrive in Italy with the Community of Sant’Egidio, following an agreement reached between the Holy See and […]
The deeper pandemic of domestic abuse in lockdown – Bishop Denis Nulty
“Domestic abuse, domestic violence, silent stonewalling are a much deeper pandemic that becomes all the more exacerbated in a pandemic lockdown.” Those were the words of Bishop Denis Nulty during the recent graduation ceremony of sixteen counsellors and nineteen graduates in Marriage Facilitation Ministry for Accord Catholic Marriage Care Service CLG at the College Chapel of Saint […]