Synod - Towards October 2024

Date: 2024-04-12

Between the XVI Assembly of October 2023 and the XVI Assembly planned for October 2024, the local Churches and the groupings of Churches are invite...

Homily - Divine Mercy Sunday - Bishop McKeown

Date: 2024-04-10

Do we greet the unfamiliar face that we have never seen before? Do we look beyond our circle of friends and greet those who may come from a differe...

Homily - Easter 2024 - Bishop McKeown

Date: 2024-03-31

Easter is a time for many commemorations and celebrations. For some is remains a religious festival that just marks the end of Lent. For others in ...

Homily - Chrism Mass 2024 - Bishop McKeown

Date: 2024-03-28

Holy Thursday, 28 March 2024St Eugene's Cathedral, Derry This Chrism Mass presents us every year with the start of Jesus' ministry. He returns from...

Holy Week and Easter 2024

Date: 2024-03-26

During Holy Week, the Church celebrates the mysteries of salvation accomplished by Christ in the last days of his life on earth, beginning with his...

St. Stephen Harding

Date: 2024-03-26

Feast date: Apr 17

St. Stephen Harding is regarded as the founder of the Cistercian monasteries. He was born in Dorset, England, and educated at Sherborne Abbey.

After studying in Paris and Rome, he visited the monastery of Molesme. Impressed by its holy abbot, Robert of Molesme, and the prior, Alberic (both of which were later canonized), Stephen joined the community.

After a few years, the three men, along with 20 other monks, established a more austere monastery in Citeaux. Eventually Robert was called back to his position of abbot at Molesme(1099), and Alberic, who became the new abbot of Citeaux, died in 1110. Following Alberic's death, Stephen was elected as abbot.

Stephen drew up the famous "Charter of Charity," whi...