Twenty-one new seminarians have begun their 2024-2025 academic programme and priestly formation for Irish dioceses. Welcoming the new student intake, Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan, chair of the Bishops’ Council for Vocations, said, “It is really heartening that twenty-one men have started as seminarians in various locations to study on propaedeutic courses. This brings the number of Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Priestly vocations’
Priestly vocations in Ireland are growing
Monday, September 2nd, 2024
Priestly vocations in Ireland are experiencing a modest yet significant development, with a slight uptick in the number of men answering the call to priesthood. This trend is being hailed as a hopeful sign amid ongoing challenges in meeting the pastoral and sacramental needs of the country’s parishes. At present, at least 26 seminarians from Read more
Nigerian Catholics aim to re-evangelise the West
Thursday, July 25th, 2024
The Catholic Church in Nigeria is experiencing remarkable growth, positioning itself as a potential source of revitalisation for Catholicism in the West. Nigeria’s Catholic population is estimated to be 25 million, making up 10-15% of the country’s 220 million people. The country’s population is expected to soar to 350-400 million in the next 20 years. Read more
Punk rock guitarist and a cop ordained
Monday, June 17th, 2024
Two newly ordained priests – one a former punk rock guitarist and the other a former policeman – spoke at their ordination of serving and accompanying others. The pair were ordained at the Cathedral of Prato, Italy earlier this month. Service and accompaniment The newly ordained Father Giulio Vanucci said while he had enjoyed being Read more
Priestly vocations surge in Columbus, driven by bishop
Monday, April 29th, 2024
In Columbus, Ohio, the diligent efforts of the local bishop have led to a significant rise in priestly vocations in recent years. Bishop Earl K Fernandes is spearheading efforts to cultivate a thriving culture of vocations within his diocese. Since his ordination as bishop in 2022, Bishop Fernandes has witnessed a remarkable turnaround. In the Read more
Has the Lord abandoned Ireland’s Catholic Church?
Monday, April 29th, 2024
The Catholic Archbishop of Dublin says it feels like the Lord has abandoned Ireland’s Catholic Church. This “confronts us with something new, but something we do not clearly understand. “There are hardly any priests or practising Catholics. “We feel perplexed, even that the Lord has abandoned us. We feel that we have lost our way” Read more
Priest shortage – Spain considers options
Monday, March 18th, 2024
An ongoing rural ministry priest shortage in the Spanish region of Castile has bishops, vicars and deans looking for new ways to serve. The problem is urgent, as what worked in the past when there were plenty of priests doesn’t work today. “We cannot expect things to change if we always do the same thing” Read more
Not ‘yesterday once more’ for diocesan Catholic priests
Thursday, October 12th, 2023
At the week-long National Assembly of Diocesan Catholic Priests in Rotorua, Brisbane’s Archbishop Mark Coleridge dropped a rock in the pond. Coleridge told the Catholic priests that changes were happening, that there would be more of them and that it was important to be prepared. Coleridge suggested that ministry as a Catholic priest was not Read more
Boy who crashed WYD security to embrace Pope Francis now a seminarian
Thursday, July 13th, 2023
The boy who bypassed papal security in 2013 to embrace Pope Francis is now a seminarian. It was at Rio de Janeiro’s World Youth Day (WYD) that nine-year old Nathan de Brito came to fame. He’s the boy who ran to hug the pope and said he wanted to be a priest. “At that moment Read more
After 9 years together a couple split up to become a nun and priest
Monday, May 22nd, 2023Angelo and Paolo were in a relationship for almost ten years, starting when he was 16 and she was 15. They were planning to be married; however, before their wedding, Maria decided that God was intervening and asked her to become a nun. So she left him and joined the Monastery of Carmelo at Ponti Read more