One of the main sacraments of the Catholic Church used to be known as Holy Communion but, considering the rapid commercialisation of this momentous event in the lives of younger children, there is nothing particularly holy about it anymore.

The Diocese of Kerry has confirmed that an ongoing shortage of priests has meant weekend Masses are to be cut and there will be changes to all five parishes in the Killarney area.

A Meath priest has urged parishioners to be mindful of their belongings after thefts from two people during Mass last weekend, which have been described as 'a new low' by a Garda Sergeant.

Five Catholic churches in Dublin are trialling contactless card machines to counteract the decline in cash donations.

People from 116 countries are represented in the bookings for the Papal Mass in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.

The 24-year-old was murdered by Mark Hennessy in May.

Nursing homes are denying charging residents for Mass.

Time has been called on a weekly Mass exclusively for men.

’Just a hunk, a hunk of burning love’

Silenced priest Fr Tony Flannery defied Vatican orders yesterday by saying Mass for the first time in five years.

Twenty-five people have been killed and 49 wounded in a bombing at a chapel next to Egypt's main Coptic Christian cathedral during Sunday mass, according to Egyptian state television.

What a time to be alive.

Amen to that!

The Bishop of Cloyne, Canon William Crean, will meet with Cork Social Democrats member Ken Curtin today after he was removed from Cobh’s rota of Church readers due to his stance on abortion.

A three-year-old child was among seven people treated for mild hypothermia after climbing Croagh Patrick; A priest in Co Meath intervened to stop a brawl between members of the Travelling community that erupted after Mass yesterday; Greece’s former finance minister has admitted he had begun planning to leave the euro and reintroduce the drachma. Here’s today’s lunchtime irishexaminer.com round-up.

A boy and a girl from Co Cork will have the honour of being the first Irish people to be confirmed by Pope Francis in a ceremony to be held in St Peter’s Square, Rome, next Sunday.

Paul D’Alton has done something he hadn’t done for 20 years — returned to Sunday Mass. And he reckons he wasn’t the only ‘prodigal son’ there