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A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>Organiser Eileen Gobnait Ní Lionáird in action during the all-Gobnait road bowling event in Ballyvourney as part of Féile Ghobnatan 2026. Picture: Chani Anderson</p>

spotlight

Gobnaits reclaim their name at unique road bowling festival honouring Irish saint in Cork

Women named Gobnait gathered in Cork’s Múscraí Gaeltacht to celebrate heritage, reclaim identity and honour Ireland’s patron saint of bees

<p>A pilgrim walks fifteen times round the church in a clockwise direction as part of the second station on the sumit of Croagh Patrick for The annual Reek Sunday Pilgrimage which returned to the traditional format as pilgrims from all over Ireland came to make the climb of Ireland’s holy mountain. Pic: Michael Mc Laughlin</p>

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

<p>Members of the perpetual Eucharistic Adoration group at St Peter and Paul's Church. Cork. Picture: David Creedon</p>

munster

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

‘A demonic monster’: The paedophile priest who fathered a secret child

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‘A demonic monster’: The paedophile priest who fathered a secret child

VATICAN-RELIGION-POPE-CONCLAVE

world

American cardinal Robert Prevost announced as Pope Leo XIV

Vatican Conclave

world

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

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

Pope’s commitments in doubt as hospital treatment continues

Pope’s commitments in doubt as hospital treatment continues

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said Francis, 88, ate breakfast and read the newspapers on Monday morning and is continuing his unspecified drug therapies

Mon, 17 Feb, 2025

Two in five parents educate disabled children at home

Multi-denominational secondary school enrolments exceed Catholic counterparts

Catholic schools still make up the majority of mainstream primary schools, with 88.3% of schools having a Catholic ethos in 2024

Mon, 06 Jan, 2025

Diocese hopes Marian Grotto can be used as holy place despite safety concerns

Diocese hopes Marian Grotto can be used as holy place despite safety concerns

The Killarney-based quarry owner, Aidan Forde, said that falling rocks and other concerns means he has had to close off a public area

Sun, 15 Dec, 2024

Survivors urge Vatican to globalise zero-tolerance abuse policy approved in US

Survivors urge Vatican to globalise zero-tolerance abuse policy approved in US

Survivors of clergy sexual abuse have urged the Vatican to expand the zero-tolerance policy it approved for the US Catholic Church in 2002 to the rest of the world, arguing that children everywhere should be protected from predator priests.

Tue, 19 Nov, 2024

Tour of St Bernadette's relics 'exceeds expectations' of clergy across the country

Tour of St Bernadette's relics 'exceeds expectations' of clergy across the country

During the two-month visit, the relics were taken to Ireland’s own Marian shrine in Knock, where hundreds of pilgrims attended Masses in the church on the site of the apparition of Mary in 1879

Tue, 05 Nov, 2024

Women’s role in Catholic Church tops Pope’s agenda in new reform project phase

Women’s role in Catholic Church tops Pope’s agenda in new reform project phase

Pope Francis has opened the second phase of his big Catholic reform project, with widespread calls for women to take up more positions of responsibility in the church topping the agenda – but ordained ministry still being ruled out.

Wed, 02 Oct, 2024

Has the Catholic Church become too Pope-centric?

Has the Catholic Church become too Pope-centric?

It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that the cult of papal personality is not going away anytime soon

Wed, 18 Sep, 2024

Letters to the Editor: Fitting tribute to Irish soldier who died a hero in Lebanon

Letters to the Editor: Fitting tribute to Irish soldier who died a hero in Lebanon

During an Israeli air strike on C Company’s HQ in 1999, Pte Billy Kedian got his men to safety but was mortally wounded himself

Sat, 27 Jul, 2024

Removal of faith from schools is moving at a snail's pace

Removal of faith from schools is moving at a snail's pace

Three primary schools, formerly under the patronage of the Catholic Church, are to reopen this September as multi-denominational Community National Schools

Mon, 24 Jun, 2024

Jennifer Horgan: Whole island of Ireland united in removing religion from schools

Jennifer Horgan: Whole island of Ireland united in removing religion from schools

INTO’s motion on religion highlights a connection between two very different systems of education in the North and the Republic, writes Jennifer Horgan

Mon, 29 Apr, 2024

Vatican says sex change surgery and surrogacy ‘grave threats’ to human dignity

Vatican says sex change surgery and surrogacy ‘grave threats’ to human dignity

The Vatican’s doctrine office issued Infinite Dignity, a 20-page declaration that has been in the works for five years, on Monday

Mon, 08 Apr, 2024

Taoiseach visit to the US

Biden speaks of Catholic teachings at blessed brunch

The White House brunch was a who's who of the Catholic Church in the US, with clerical collars and monk's robes dotted among the guests

Sun, 17 Mar, 2024

Palmistry.

S Jennifer Horgan: How meeting a medium went a long way to lifting my spirits

A few months back, somebody suggested I write a column about visiting a medium. I liked the idea straight away, mostly because I’d never have come up with it myself. I’d characterise myself as being both sceptical and open-minded.

Sun, 28 Jan, 2024

Irish Examiner view: Conservative voices prevail in Catholic Church

Irish Examiner view: Conservative voices prevail in Catholic Church

The concluding report from the 2023 Synod on Synodality, approved by a two-thirds majority of the voting members, fell far short of the inclusivity the Pope had aspired to

Tue, 31 Oct, 2023

Water-based cremations and golden caskets: Inside Ireland's funeral industry

S Water-based cremations and golden caskets: Inside Ireland's funeral industry

At a recent trade show in Dublin, Alison O’Reilly learned about all aspects of Irish funerals, from aquamation to makeup artistry, with a particular emphasis now being paid to the environmental impact the ceremony can have

Sat, 07 Oct, 2023

Mary McAleese at Queen's University Belfast

Women's synod will see Mary McAleese and Cherie Blair push for female equality in Catholic Church

Both women will be urging change in the official Church’s thinking on the role of women, who "are already doing 90% of the work in the parishes", according to Miriam Duignan of Women’s Ordination Worldwide.

Mon, 02 Oct, 2023

Mick Clifford: The Columban priest from Cork who found his home in Wuhan

S Mick Clifford: The Columban priest from Cork who found his home in Wuhan

Wuhan is a long way from Newtownshandrum, but Dan Troy feels perfectly at home there

Listen | Fri, 08 Sep, 2023

Journey to Croagh Patrick summit is really a pilgrimage to the heart

Journey to Croagh Patrick summit is really a pilgrimage to the heart

All religions have the idea of pilgrimage at their core to help followers achieve personal redemption, writes Tony Flannery

Sun, 30 Jul, 2023

Church needs to come off its pedestal to reverse decline in faith

Church needs to come off its pedestal to reverse decline in faith

Pope Francis will need to develop a more credible and humble Catholic Church if it is to prosper again, writes Tony Flannery

Fri, 09 Jun, 2023

woman worships at a church

S Are we losing our religion?

Does a decline in Roman Catholic Church member numbers necessarily mean a decline in faith?

Sun, 04 Jun, 2023

Clodagh Finn: Negotiating with religious bodies is treating them with kid gloves

Clodagh Finn: Negotiating with religious bodies is treating them with kid gloves

That those negotiations are necessary at all underlines the shameful reluctance of church leaders, religious congregations, and lay Catholic organisations to face up to the systemic abuse inflicted over several decades

Sun, 28 May, 2023

Bishop of Cork seeks to rejuvenate city's historic Eucharistic Procession

Bishop of Cork seeks to rejuvenate city's historic Eucharistic Procession

Bishop Fintan Gavin will announce details of plans to breathe new life and energy into the near century-old public religious ceremony

Mon, 22 May, 2023

A crucifix on a book against the background of a chalkboard

Mick Clifford: Religion should not be a bargaining tool

We had a bit of a dilemma when our firstborn arrived: Do we get him baptised? I have no religion and my wife has less.

Sun, 22 Jan, 2023

'First the banks, then post offices ... now rural Ireland is losing its priests'

'First the banks, then post offices ... now rural Ireland is losing its priests'

In small rural parishes, the loss of a priest through retirement or death is keenly felt, says Conor Capplis, with the Catholic Church slow to react to a problem they have known about for many years

Sat, 21 Jan, 2023

Dramatic intervention by bishops in Irish Civil War politics

Dramatic intervention by bishops in Irish Civil War politics

The Irish hierarchy’s pastoral letter of 1922 forbidding republicans from receiving the sacraments showed a partisanship not appreciated by Rome, writes Gabriel Doherty

Mon, 09 Jan, 2023

Letters to the Editor: Benedict represented a repressive church

Letters to the Editor: Benedict represented a repressive church

The lasting legacy of the late Pope Benedict XVI was not just his resignation as Pope in 2013 but the influence he exerted over the direction of the Catholic Church for 22 years from being head of the supremely powerful Vatican Congregation for the ...

Fri, 06 Jan, 2023

A boy sitting alone with sad feeling. Asian little child covered his face with his hands in fear. Domestic Family violence conc

Colm O'Connor: Fighting bullying cannot work in a school system exclusionary by design

There is a culture in which some parents, teachers, school leaders, and institutions act as role models for exclusion — to have truly inclusive schools we need to change that

Thu, 05 Jan, 2023

Canada Pope

Irish Examiner view: Reform is in the air at the Vatican

A global synod initiated by Pope Francis has revealed an across-the-board desire for reform in a variety of Catholic cultures

Tue, 03 Jan, 2023

Mick Clifford: Plenty of room left on the middle path

Mick Clifford: Plenty of room left on the middle path

The year’s end brings with it time for reflection on some decent reads undertaken during the last twelve months.

Sat, 31 Dec, 2022

Mick Clifford: Jesus was born at home with not a donkey in sight

Mick Clifford: Jesus was born at home with not a donkey in sight

What about the childer’? So went the cry of faux outrage a few weeks ago when it was announced that the crib in Dublin’s Mansion House would be without live animals.

Sun, 25 Dec, 2022

Somalia Drought

Letters to the Editor: Millions at risk of starvation in Horn of Africa

As we prepare for Christmas and all that the season brings the debate continues as to whether the extraordinary suffering of people in conflict and drought affected countries in the Horn of Africa meets the definition of a famine.

Sat, 24 Dec, 2022

Spiritan religious order abuse

Fergus Finlay: Tribunal of inquiry could deliver justice for religious orders’ crimes

Justice demands full and open accountability, by or on behalf of people who committed awful crimes, and by the organisations that protected them

Tue, 22 Nov, 2022

Blackrock College survivor: 'A fifth of 1979 class came forward to report abuse'

Blackrock College survivor: 'A fifth of 1979 class came forward to report abuse'

John Coulter set up Facebook page and the stories starting flooding in

Wed, 16 Nov, 2022

Alison O'Connor: We may be appalled at the sermon, but Fr Sheehy spouted company policy

Alison O'Connor: We may be appalled at the sermon, but Fr Sheehy spouted company policy

It’s the same old teaching and unbendable rules that lie at the heart of the Catholic Church

Fri, 04 Nov, 2022

Cork-born Archbishop dies following globetrotting career

Cork-born Archbishop dies following globetrotting career

Patrick Coveny spent much of his life spreading Catholicism across the world

Tue, 25 Oct, 2022

Morning Briefing: Top stories on Friday, September 30

Letters to the Editor: Developments should make use of what’s already there

I would have to agree with Michael Moynihan’s on the proposed Kildare village-like site in Carrigtwohill, (‘Michael Moynihan: Wake up and support our local businesses before they’re decimated’, Irish Examiner, October 6).

Sat, 08 Oct, 2022

2022 NI Assembly election

Irish Examiner view: Numbers help to divine political future

Catholic majority in Northern Ireland for the first time since its foundation will have far-reaching political impact

Sat, 24 Sep, 2022

Proposed changes to sex education curriculum labelled 'sickening' in letters to department

Proposed changes to sex education curriculum labelled 'sickening' in letters to department

One letter said the department should not be contributing to the “nation’s immorality” and that Ireland was a place where “people’s morals are at an all-time low”

Tue, 20 Sep, 2022

Secularisation of Irish society isn’t immune to the shadow of the past

Secularisation of Irish society isn’t immune to the shadow of the past

The fortunes of the Irish Catholic Church have changed dramatically over the past four decades. Mary Kenny's new book focuses on the links between faith and fatherland and their role in shaping the Irish State

Mon, 05 Sep, 2022

Clodagh Finn: Centenary of Irish scholar's death in Alps sadly overlooked

Clodagh Finn: Centenary of Irish scholar's death in Alps sadly overlooked

Dr Sophie Bryant campaigned for Irish university education and a firm place for women in it

Wed, 24 Aug, 2022

Landmark church report highlights desire for female priests, optional celibacy, and inclusion for all

Landmark church report highlights desire for female priests, optional celibacy, and inclusion for all

The report also notes how years of clerical abuse has marred the reputation of the Church in Ireland

Tue, 16 Aug, 2022

Campaigners hope report sent to Vatican will result in radical reform of Church in Ireland

Campaigners hope report sent to Vatican will result in radical reform of Church in Ireland

Pope Francis called a Universal Synod last year which — for the first time — aimed to gather feedback at all levels of the Church in every parish on its future.

Mon, 15 Aug, 2022

Irish Examiner view: Obvious answer to shortage of priests

Irish Examiner view: Obvious answer to shortage of priests

Falling numbers of priests, which this week led to the creation of ‘families’ of parishes in the Cork and Ross diocese, to be overseen by a moderator priest and allow parishioners to receive some form of ministry, indicates that the Catholic Church ...

Fri, 05 Aug, 2022