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#Catholic Church

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>Fr Stuart McGovern during his ordination at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity in Waterford City which was celebrated by Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan on November 23, the feast of Christ the King. Picture: John Power</p>

munster

'A time of great hope': Former engineer is looking forward to his first Christmas as a priest

52-year-old Stuart McGovern worked in telecoms and ran his own firm but always wanted ‘more than what the world had to offer’ — a quest that has led to his ordination as a Catholic priest

<p>The three nuns and former teachers — Sisters Regina, 86, Bernadette, 88, and Rita, 81 — have broke back into their old home of Goldenstein Castle in Elsbethen, Austria, in September in defiance of their spiritual superiors. Picture: Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty</p>

world

Rebel nuns who fled care home and broke into convent can stay — if they give up social media

Sarah Harte Writer head shot.png

Sarah Harte: Church's dismissal of Our Lady as a co-redeemer seems like bad PR

Clodagh Finn: Imagine a Church in which Sr Stan had been a bishop

Irish Examiner view: Security at Ipas centres needs review

ourview

Irish Examiner view: Security at Ipas centres needs review

King and Queen state visit to the Holy See

comment-analysis

Quiet unifier Pope Leo looks likely to lead buttoned-up papacy

Ballyea v Clooney Quin - Clare County Senior Club Hurling Championship Semi-Final

S Christy O'Connor: Young talent on show in county final a reflection of Clare’s exciting future

Over the last six years, no manager has given league and championship game time to more players than Clare boss Brian Lohan.

Fri, 03 Oct, 2025

Éamon de Valera and Archbishop McQuaid

Presidential oath means only Christians need apply

The United Nations Human Rights Committee has expressed concern over Ireland's constitutional oath. Simon Tierney asks why we aren't changing it

Wed, 24 Sep, 2025

Pope Leo XIV declares 15-year-old computer whiz, known as ‘God’s influencer’, a saint

Pope Leo XIV declares 15-year-old computer whiz, known as ‘God’s influencer’, a saint

Leo canonized Carlo Acutis, who died in 2006, during an open-air Mass in St. Peter’s Square before an estimated 80,000 people

Sun, 07 Sep, 2025

Priest criticises Tuam excavation describing nuns who ran mother and baby home as 'outstanding'

Priest criticises Tuam excavation describing nuns who ran mother and baby home as 'outstanding'

Appearing to question the decision to carry out excavation works in Tuam, Fr Brendan Kilcoyne asked whether anyone knew where 'the 60,000 Irish children who have been murdered since abortion was brought in' were buried

Thu, 28 Aug, 2025

Italy Pope

Pope Leo XIV prays for peace as US-Russia summit over Ukraine war gets under way

Pope Leo XIV prayed for a peaceful end to the “increasingly deafening violence” of wars around the world as he celebrated a Catholic feast day on the same day as a high-stakes US-Russia summit over the war in Ukraine.

Fri, 15 Aug, 2025

APTOPIX Italy Pope Youths Jubilee

Pope Leo urges crowd of one million young Catholics to ‘spread enthusiasm and faith’

The young people camped in sprawling fields south-east of Rome overnight after attending a vigil service for the Jubilee of Youth on Saturday

Sun, 03 Aug, 2025

Papal visit to UK - Day Four

Pope to bestow one of Catholic Church’s highest honours on John Henry Newman

Pope Leo XIV has decided to declare St John Henry Newman a “doctor” of the church, bestowing one of the Catholic Church’s highest honours on the deeply influential 19th century Anglican convert who remains a unifying figure in both the Anglican and ...

Thu, 31 Jul, 2025

Reek Sunday climb: Why Croagh Patrick still draws pilgrims despite Ireland’s secular shift

Reek Sunday climb: Why Croagh Patrick still draws pilgrims despite Ireland’s secular shift

Pilgrims of all ages are expected to scale Croagh Patrick this weekend, continuing a 1,600-year-old tradition of faith and resilience

Sun, 27 Jul, 2025

Fergus Finlay: Thanks, but no thanks — some apologies not worth the paper they're written on

S Fergus Finlay: Thanks, but no thanks — some apologies not worth the paper they're written on

Fergus Finlay replies to a letter from the Hospitaller Order of St. John of God after Brother Aidan Clohessy was jailed last week for four years for indecently assaulting two boys in the 1980s

Tue, 01 Jul, 2025

Bishop leads tributes after death of Fr Oscar O’Leary

Bishop leads tributes after death of Fr Oscar O’Leary

Bishop Fintan Gavin paid tribute to the late priest who had ministered to Cork’s Traveller community for more than three decades

Mon, 30 Jun, 2025

'I don’t forgive you but I don’t judge you': Ex-school principal jailed for indecently assaulting six boys

'I don’t forgive you but I don’t judge you': Ex-school principal jailed for indecently assaulting six boys

The injured parties were aged between 10 and 13 when Aidan Clohessy's offending took place at St Augustine's School, Blackrock, Co Dublin

Tue, 24 Jun, 2025

Thousands take part in Cork's Eucharistic Procession amid 'a very uncertain world'

Thousands take part in Cork's Eucharistic Procession amid 'a very uncertain world'

One participant who spoke to the 'Irish Examiner' echoed Bishop Fintan Gavin's sentiments, saying: 'More people are looking to God as the world is such an unsafe place now'

Sun, 22 Jun, 2025

Establishment of 24-hour adoration is 'a real sign of hope' for the church, says Cork bishop

Establishment of 24-hour adoration is 'a real sign of hope' for the church, says Cork bishop

Access to the night-time chapel is controlled via a fob, with security systems and procedures in place

Fri, 20 Jun, 2025

Good Friday Service in Chicago

Number of historical abuse allegations against Church rise by over 50% in a year

It is the highest number of new allegations in any reporting period since figures began to be published annually in 2009

Tue, 10 Jun, 2025

IFTA Awards 2025

Kneecap join O’Connor in hall of fame for calling out injustices

How long will it take for the Belfast band to be seen as standing on the right side of history, asks David Kent

Sat, 24 May, 2025

Symbol of law and justice in the empty courtroom

State's legal strategy hurts and denies abused children all over again

Whatever the legal responsibility owed by religious orders to individual survivors, the State has a standalone responsibility to every one of them

Wed, 21 May, 2025

Vatican Pope

Pope Leo XIV vows to work for unity during inaugural Mass in St Peter’s Square

His call for unity was significant, given the polarisation in the Catholic Church in the United States and beyond.

Sun, 18 May, 2025

Gareth O'Callaghan: Is Pope Leo XIV the spiritual leader America needs with Trump in power?

Gareth O'Callaghan: Is Pope Leo XIV the spiritual leader America needs with Trump in power?

As America reels from Trump’s return and global tensions rise, Pope Leo XIV could offer more than spiritual guidance — he may be the world’s needed moral compass

Sat, 17 May, 2025

Pope Leo XIV: Irish priests recall 'the quiet guy' who went on to inherit the chair of St Peter

Pope Leo XIV: Irish priests recall 'the quiet guy' who went on to inherit the chair of St Peter

'He always struck me as being a very disciplined, abstemious, quiet guy, and I would say we Irish would have been a bit more, shall I say, celebratory'

Fri, 09 May, 2025

Vatican Conclave New Pope

Unearthed comments from new Pope Leo XIV alarm LGBTQ+ Catholics

Previous negative remarks by Pope Leo XIV about ‘homosexual lifestyle’ at odds with papacy of Pope Francis

Fri, 09 May, 2025

Conclave Elects Pope Leo XIV

Taoiseach and president lead congratulations for new Pope Leo XIV in Ireland

Micheál Martin said the celebrations in St. Peter’s Square are a reflection of the 'hopes and goodwill' felt by Catholics

Fri, 09 May, 2025

VATICAN-RELIGION-POPE-CONCLAVE

Robert Francis Prevost: the moderate, good-humoured first US pope

Colleagues recall a calm and grounded leader capable of moderating between factions, with a strong connection to his predecessor

Fri, 09 May, 2025

VATICAN-RELIGION-POPE-CONCLAVE

Irish Examiner view: Welcome and best wishes for Pope Leo

Pope Leo has considerable challenges on his hands within the Church — financial issues, declining vocations, and, notoriously, the litany of sex abuse scandals involving the Church

Fri, 09 May, 2025

'He will return to Ireland' says Irish priest who is a friend of Pope Leo XIV

'He will return to Ireland' says Irish priest who is a friend of Pope Leo XIV

Fr Tony Finn says Pope Leo XIV, who visited Ireland during his time as Augustinian leader, is likely to return soon

Thu, 08 May, 2025

VATICAN-RELIGION-POPE-CONCLAVE

American cardinal Robert Prevost announced as Pope Leo XIV

His election means he will become the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church

Thu, 08 May, 2025

Vatican Holds Conclave To Elect New Pope

Watch: Cardinals enter conclave to decide who follows Pope Francis

Roman Catholic cardinals have begun the task of electing a new pope, locking themselves away from the world until they choose the man they hope can unite a diverse but divided global Church.

Thu, 08 May, 2025

Vatican Conclave

Black smoke emerges from chimney as cardinals fail to agree on new pope

Signal from Sistine Chapel chimney shows deliberations will continue over new leader of the Catholic church

Thu, 08 May, 2025

Vatican Conclave

Black smoke emerges at Vatican as conclave fails to elect pope on first vote

Voting will resume on Thursday, and up to four rounds of voting can take place each day, two in the morning and two in the afternoon

Wed, 07 May, 2025

VATICAN-RELIGION-POPE-MASS

ieExplains: How does the conclave work and when will a new pope be chosen?

Cardinals will enter the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday to begin the process of electing a pontiff

Wed, 07 May, 2025

Vatican Conclave

Watch: Cardinals to begin choosing new pope in largest ever conclave

Election could be most unpredictable in church’s history with 133 diverse and divided participants in Sistine Chapel

Wed, 07 May, 2025

TOPSHOT-VATICAN-RELIGION-POPE-CONCLAVE-MASS

Papal in-tray: New Pope will have to hit ground running on many urgent issues

From conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, to migration, the climate crisis and schisms in the church, the honeymoon period will be short

Wed, 07 May, 2025

Cardinal Mercier - Stained Glass in Mechelen Cathedral

Fist fights, ghostly pranks and schism: A brief history of quirky conclaves past

Selecting a new pope has always been an arduous process, but some conclaves seemed to suffer more than others

Wed, 07 May, 2025

What's in a papal name? An agenda for the Catholic Church

What's in a papal name? An agenda for the Catholic Church

First look at new pope will include announcement of papal name

Tue, 06 May, 2025

The frontrunners hotly tipped to replace Pope Francis as cardinals prepare for conclave

The frontrunners hotly tipped to replace Pope Francis as cardinals prepare for conclave

Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, and Italian Pietro Parolin are hotly tipped in betting markets around the world

Mon, 05 May, 2025

Vatican Pope

S Scaled-down papacy with women given greater influence in Catholic Church's future

Pope Francis’s work on synodality could pave the way for a very different style of Church, with self-governing regional branches and the ability to make local changes over time, writes TP O’Mahony

Mon, 05 May, 2025

Vatican Pope

Letters to the Editor: Pope Francis promoted peace in Palestine

Francis was greatly troubled by what is happening in the Holy Land, and made nightly phone calls to Christians in Gaza

Mon, 05 May, 2025

Trump Alabama

Trump draws criticism with AI image of himself as pope ahead of papal conclave

Mr Trump’s post drew rebuke among Italians from a group representing Catholic bishops in New York.

Sat, 03 May, 2025

Vatican Pope

Rumours, rock-star cardinals and street cleaning: Rome gets ready for conclave

Papal electors gossip in bars and restaurants and try to avoid journalists seeking clues to Pope Francis’s successor

Sat, 03 May, 2025

Vatican Conclave

Vatican workers install Sistine Chapel stove ahead of conclave

Vatican workers have installed the simple stove in the Sistine Chapel where ballots will be burned during the upcoming conclave to elect a new pope.

Sat, 03 May, 2025

VATICAN Pope 30

Gareth O'Callaghan: Pope Francis let Jesus out of the church – will his successor lock him back in?

With Pope Francis gone, the Catholic Church stands at a crossroads — torn between tradition and the need for radical reform

Sat, 03 May, 2025

Vatican Pope Conclave Movie

How long was the longest conclave? Facts about the secret voting to elect a pope

The periodic voting to elect a new pope has been going on for centuries

Fri, 02 May, 2025

Vatican Conclave

Vatican firefighters install chimney on Sistine Chapel roof for papal election

Preparations for the conclave to find a new pope have accelerated with the installation of the chimney out of the Sistine Chapel that will signal the election of a successor to Pope Francis.

Fri, 02 May, 2025

Vatican-Pope-Cardinal

Disgraced Cardinal Becciu withdraws from participation in conclave to elect pope

The Italian cardinal at the heart of the Vatican’s “trial of the century” has announced that he is withdrawing from participating in the upcoming conclave to elect a new pope for “the good of the church”.

Tue, 29 Apr, 2025

The Conclave Of Cardinals Have Elected A New Pope To Lead The World's Catholics

ieExplains: How conclave will elect a new pope and who are the favourites?

The election itself is shrouded in secrecy, with cardinals forbidden from communicating with the outside world

Mon, 21 Apr, 2025