A data breach in Northern Ireland means Police are being advised they can take guns to Mass along with their prayer books. The move comes after about 10,000 officers’ and support staff’s personal information was leaked last month. The data was mistakenly released in response to a freedom of information request. Superintendent Gerry Murray confirmed Read more
In preparing to come to Antarctica, I had been told this was the most secular continent in the world, filled with scientists on a mission for discovery. But for those who are looking for spirituality, there is a lot to be discovered here too. I have spent three weeks at the South Pole Station with Read more
A priest who was celebrating Mass at sea using an inflatable lilo as an altar was forced to apologise after pictures of blessing the Eucharist while wearing bathing shorts became popular. Read more
My cradle Catholic parents instilled in me the importance of going to Mass religiously (no pun intended) but were never able to articulate why we went, answering only “because we are Catholic and that is what good Catholics do.” It wasn’t until a youth minister explained the significance, depth and beauty of the Mass that Read more
For two years now, I have gone to Mass twice every Sunday, although I do so seated at my kitchen table. I can see the local Catholic church from my window, but I haven’t been inside it since the brief window, mid-pandemic, of supposed normality in July 2021. From my small town in Oregon, I Read more
Better music at Mass and carefully chosen songs would make attending Mass a more uplifting experience for churchgoers, reports a survey of nearly 2,000 Catholics. The May 4 survey reflected the views of those aged 21-39 and one of the questions the Truth Data Survey asked was: “What would you like to change at Mass?” Read more
What is the proper spiritual response to the coronavirus pandemic? Although many Catholics seek to use this period as “a time of renewal,” as one priest put it, a vocal minority are approaching the pandemic with words more suited to culture warriors than to spiritual warfare. Any Catholic who has spent time on social media Read more
As Catholic churches throughout New Zealand prepare to welcome people back to Sunday Mass church ministers are warning things are not the same. Catholic churches used to have a common look and feel, but post-COVID-19, the new normal will likely be less familiar, it may even seem a little strange, warns Wellington priest, Pete Roe. Read more
In a pastoral statement, the New Zealand Catholic bishops have written to Catholics saying they are pleased that Mass can resume, but warn the experience may not be as familiar as it once was. They say the new normal is means the Church’s liturgy remains restricted to protect the vulnerable and elderly. The statement, creatively Read more
Italian authorities on Thursday (May 7) gave the go-ahead for public Masses starting May 18, after the government and Catholic bishops struggled to find an accord that would ensure safety measures amid the coronavirus pandemic. A protocol allowing Catholic faithful to attend Mass was signed Thursday by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte; the president of the Read more