Press Releases

Principles of Responsibility Regarding Priests who father Children while in Ministry    31 August, 2017 In response to representations from Coping International, the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference has published the following: Principles of responsibility regarding priests who father children while in ministry Upon ordination, priests promise to live a life […]

Church Appeal for East Africa   As the appalling situation facing the people of East Africa has reached a critical stage, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has appealed for support for a Church collection for Trócaire There are severe food shortages in South Sudan, Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia brought about by drought […]

Press Release – Monday 26 June 2017 Bishop Éamonn Walsh welcomes Vatican message marking the international day against drug abuse See below message from Cardinal Peter Turkson for the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking   Bishop Éamonn Walsh of the Irish Bishops’ Drugs Initiative has welcomed today’s message […]

Ecumenical Bible Week 4th-11th June “Faith Comes by Hearing the Word of Christ.” (Rom 10:17) Ecumenical Bible Week 2017 got underway on Sunday evening (June 4). The week long programme of events runs each year from Pentecost to Trinity Sunday and this year there are 23 events with 25 presenters […]

John Sullivan SJ First Beatification ever in Ireland The first ever beatification in Ireland, that of Father John Sullivan SJ (1861 – 1933), took place at on Saturday May 13th  during the celebration of Mass in Saint Francis Xavier Church on Gardiner Street in Dublin. Beatification, which confers the title ‘Blessed’, […]

 Press Release – 17/5/17 Coptic Pope Tawadros II to visit Archbishop of Dublin Martin The Coptic Orthodox Leader, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, will tomorrow (Thursday May 18th) visit the Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin. It is the first time that Pope Tawadros, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Saint […]

‘Home for Good?’ report on returning Irish emigrants Press Release –  May 3rd, 2017 New report details difficulties experienced by returning Irish emigrants ‘Red-tape’, employment, accommodation and emotional well-being are the main challenges associated with returning to Ireland according to a survey of recently returned Irish emigrants. Forming the basis of […]

Press Release – Monday 6th March 2017 Unique student concert series begins in Dublin’s Helix   Almost two and a half thousand teenagers from all over Dublin and surrounding counties will be on stage in the Helix over the next four nights – singing and playing Church music. The students, […]

Reception of Remains Desmond Cardinal Connell Pro Cathedral – 23 February 2017   Homily of Bishop Eamonn Walsh, Auxiliary Archbishop of Dublin “On the mountain the Lord of hosts will prepare for all people a banquet of rich food”   For Cardinal Connell the mountain represented being in communion with God: […]

 Cardinal Desmond Connell a Profile    Desmond Connell was born on 24 March 1926. His father, John Bernard Connell, a native of Moycullen Co Galway, was a civil servant who was a member of the Irish delegation to the Ottawa Conference of 1932 and was later appointed by Sean Lemass as […]

Biographical Details of Emeritus Archbishop, Desmond Cardinal Connell   Archbishop Desmond Connell was born in Phibsboro on the 24th of March 1926.   Educated at St. Peter’s National School, Phibsboro and Belvedere College, he studied for the priesthood at Clonliffe College and was ordained by Archbishop John Charles McQuaid on […]

“A Victorian Gentleman” by Rev. Damian Mc Neice   I remember accompanying Cardinal Connell to an event welcoming a new Board of Management in the Mater Hospital. It was during the time of crisis in the Diocese of Ferns in 2002. After the formal ceremony and a reception we were […]

Pope Francis’ World Communications Day Message ‘Fear not, for I am with you (Is 43:5): Communicating Hope and Trust in our Time’   Access to the media – thanks to technological progress – makes it possible for countless people to share news instantly and spread it widely.  That news may […]

Returned Irish Emigrants ask to take part in a Nationwide Survey on Coming Home   PRESS RELEASE   Monday 14th November 2016   Recently returned Irish emigrants are being asked to share their experiences of coming home in a new survey launched today by Crosscare Migrant Project.   The Migrant Project is asking […]

Press Release Friday September 23rd “I have seen & heard of the brave deeds of priests and nuns during the week and I believe they are the best friends of the workers. Now, we had better turn to Number One” – James Connolly, Easter Week, 1916 The Archbishop of Dublin, […]

2,000 Dubliners to cross Holy Door in Lourdes Press Release – Wednesday September 7th   In a unique ceremony to mark the Jubilee year of Mercy called by Pope Francis almost 2,000 pilgrims from Dublin will process through a Holy Door of Mercy at Lourdes in France this week. The […]

Press Release – Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle, Wednesday 24 August 2016 Trustees of the National Seminary meet in Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth   Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, this week welcomed fourteen new seminarians to start their training for the priesthood.   The Trustees of the College met yesterday in Maynooth […]

Feast of Saint Kevin  ORDINATION OF EIGHT DEACONS FOR SERVICE IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF DUBLIN  Homily notes of Most Rev. Diarmuid Martin Archbishop of Dublin Pro-Cathedral, Saturday  4th June 2016 11.00am                  One of the significant achievements of the Vatican Council’s reflection on the Church was the restoration in […]

Pope Francis confirms date and theme for Ireland’s World Meeting of Families Tuesday 24 May 2016 Pope Francis has decided that the World Meeting of Families will be held in Dublin on 22 to 26 August 2018, with the theme “The Gospel of the Family: Joy for the World”.   […]

Press Release Wednesday 27th April 2016 Pope Francis approves the beatification of Venerable John Sullivan Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has warmly welcomed the news today that Pope Francis has approved the beatification of Venerable John Sullivan (1861-1933) Pope Francis approved the decree that authenticated a miracle attributed to Fr Sullivan at […]

  Press Release – Monday April 25th   New guide prepares Irish emigrants for work in Australia’s outback     Crosscare’s Migrant Project has launched printed and on-line support resources for Irish workers in Australia, involved in the lucrative Fly-In/Fly-Out sector. The leaflet was produced by Crosscare Migrant Project and is […]

Please see below the text of the Holy Father Francis which was delivered today at a press conference in Archbishop’s House in Dublin by The President of Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh, and the Vice-President, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin. to welcome the Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis Amoris […]

 CENTENARY PRAYER OF REMEMBRANCE    Lord, Merciful and Kind, I remember the men, women and children who died during 1916 and throughout the troubled journey of our island’s history. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha.   Look kindly I pray, on the people of Ireland from all traditions, at home […]

<b>Priests Council Data Report 2030</b> Please see below a link to a comprehensive report complied on behalf of the Diocesan Priests Council looking at future trends for many aspects of Diocesan life and personnel numbers. The Council is making the report widely available to help with ongoing planning discussions for […]

  Press Release – Monday February 29th 2016   Young Voices rise up in the Helix     An extraordinary event, which sees over 2,000 teenagers enthusiastically singing religious music live on stage, gets underway in Dublin’s Helix tonight.   Students from all over Dublin will raise their voices in a […]

Press Release – Saturday February 27th Dublin Priest Ordained Bishop in Vatican The Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin has congratulated Bishop Paul Tighe on his episcopal ordination in the Vatican today (Saturday February 27 2016). Bishop Tighe was ordained in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary […]

STATEMENT OF THE PONTIFICAL COMMISSION FOR THE PROTECTION OF MINORS Cardinal Seán O’Malley, OFM Cap., President of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, together with all the Commission Members, issued today the following statement on the obligation to report suspected sexual abuse to civil authorities: “As Pope Francis […]