“By opening a door, we are door-keepers, we have got to reach out as well as moving in” - Bishop of Kildare & Leighlin.

On a visit to Dublin 'Vicar of Baghdad' Canon Andrew White recounts persecution of Christians in Middle East.

"Remember you too were treated harshly abroad, building London’s underground, the mines of Yorkshire, in the docks of Boston or in the new cities of Sydney and Perth."

Ahead of IEC2016, Bishop Kevin Doran pays tribute to Filipino faithful “who are not afraid to acknowledge themselves as Christian".

Priest tells mourners at funeral Mass for Christy O'Connor Jnr in Galway Cathedral, "His leaving has left our world a poorer place. He was one in a million!”

“Ground Control to Major Tom/Commencing countdown, engines on/ Check ignition/and may God's love be with you.”

In new book, Pontiff states “The Church does not exist to condemn people, but to bring about an encounter with the visceral love of God’s mercy.”

Parishes raised €63,625 to help the victims of last April and May’s devastating earthquakes which killed over 9,000 people and left countless others homeless.

A special Mass commemorating the Abbey's 800-year history has been commissioned from composer Fr Liam Lawton as part of the octocentenary celebrations.

The focus of the first prayer intention of the New Year is inter-religious dialogue and is “further incontrovertible evidence that Pope Francis is a man of dialogue”.

Ruan Pienaar, Wiehahn Herbst and Paul Marshall will be interviewed by the BBC’s Mark Simpson St Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast on 25 January.

"The needs we have to be successful, to be liked, to avoid criticism, to be noticed, are often not met. There are many who would gladly serve God in an advisory capacity.”

Grant totals €268,000 over three years and is intended is help Vocations Ireland support and nurture vocations to the consecrated religious life in Ireland today.

“It is possible to create safe spaces for those who think alike and who may come to feel that because they are like-minded they have discovered to right way.”

“The Custody [of the Holy Land] does not forget that other religious are still missing in Syria and invites everyone to continue praying for peace.”

“The determination of the bishops, priests and people ... to restore St Mel’s is a source of encouragement and a sign of faith in the community” - Bishop Smith.

'We need to let those who are new citizens to this bickering Ireland look critically at us and help us to become a rather different Ireland': Archbishop Jackson.

"We remember in a special way during this Christmas season the plight of those Christians who have lost everything for their faith.”

Jesuit Fr Peter McVerry warns that there are a lot more people “on the edge of homelessness” than is realised.

“Our solidarity with one another, and especially with those in the greatest need, is an expression of who we are as the people of a merciful God.”

Bishop Leahy pays tribute to DUP leader Arlene Foster as an example of how we can deal with the past.

2016 commemorations have the potential to stimulate much-needed reflection on where we are as a society and what we want to achieve for the future.

“Men, women and children suffer because of weapons of mass destruction and we fail to respond, seduced by weapons of mass distraction.”

"I heard figures recently suggesting that the average 16 year old in Great Britain is more likely to have a iPhone at home than their dad" - Bishop Donal McKeown.

Diocese "has an ancient and proud heritage whose roots stretch back almost one and a half thousand years preceding even its spiritual father, St Columba.”

Drogheda-born Fr Richard McCullen led the worldwide congregation of Vincentians from 1980 until 1992.

"By destabilising marriage we are rapidly eroding the social structure on which humanity depends" warns Dr Michael Neary of Tuam.

Young singers travel to Rome today to participate in the 40th International Congress of Pueri Cantores.

May the blessings of Christmas enlighten your journey and bring you peace. Beannachtaí na Nollag oraibh go léir.

A ‘Mercy’ Christmas challenges us to ask whether we have done enough to make peace, to help relieve poverty, hunger, homelessness and the plight of refugees.