Month: January 2014

On the morning of Jan. 25, 2013, participants in the Washington, DC, March for Life received an unexpected boost in the form of a Twitter message from Pope Benedict XVI. “I join all those marching for life from afar, and pray that political leaders will protect the unborn and promote a culture of life,” the…

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Pope Francis has called on world leaders to work towards a real and lasting peace in the world and insisted the Church will play its part “in every possible way” to foment this reality. The Pope made his comments last Monday as he addressed an assembly of 180 ambassadors to the Holy See, gathered for…

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Dear Editor, I very much welcome the emergence of the Reform Alliance and hope it will grow into a new political party. At present there is no political party in which Catholics can participate, a party where their insights and giftedness are fully appreciated. This has created an enormous democratic deficit in the Irish political scene.…

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Dear Editor, I wasn’t overly impressed by the two articles concerning the faith of Munster’s Ronan O Gara (IC 9/11/14) and Donncha O’ Callaghan(IC 19/12/13).  Yes they both mentioned that they believed in God, but, so do so many in our society and yet do not attend weekly Mass or the other sacraments.  When one…

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Dear Editor, As I understand the purpose and objective of Reform Alliance, it is definitely not to establish another political party, since I believe we have sufficient already, in fact too many! Personally I think the objective of Reform Alliance is what it says, namely to reform the existing and outdated draconian political system that has…

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Dear Editor, As I understand it, there are six days in the Church’s calendar, as well as Sundays, which are designated Holy days of Obligation in the Irish Church. These are: December 8, Feast of The Immaculate Conception; Christmas Day; St Patrick’s Day; August 15, Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary; November 1,…

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Dear Editor, Regarding ‘The Francis effect bringing people back to the Church (IC 14/11/13), the impact of Pope Francis on Catholics and non-Catholics alike has been heart-warming, impressive and very positive. I would be concerned, however, that the religious practice of a considerable number of ‘returned’ Catholics appears to be based on the personality of one man.…

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Dear Editor, I was interested to read David Quinn’s piece ‘Why the Church cannot be all inclusive’ (IC 2/1/14). I’d like to take up two points in relation to his thoughts: 1.That “horrible and impossible to contemplate turn of events” that he fears, has already taken place. The fact is that God Himself is ‘pro-choice’…

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