William RevilleMost people would agree that the family is the most important and fundamental unit in society. The traditional family based on marriage is coming under severe pressure and an increasing number of alternative family models now exist. There is considerable evidence that the traditional family offers the best environment in which to rear children, despite…
Month: December 2015
A festive piece of holly to decorate your clothes
Erin FoxTis the season to wear holly! December is here and it’s time to get out the festive clothing. A sprig of holly will add some festive cheer to any item of clothing. As festive as it may look, the prickles can be a nuisance so create your own Christmassy corsage. These felt holly leaves are…
Diocese of Cloyne celebrates JPII Awards
Mags GarganA group of 130 students from across the Diocese of Cloyne and a neighbouring diocese were presented with a Pope John Paul II Award at a ceremony in Mallow Community Youth Centre. The students came from St Mary’s Secondary School, Mallow; Patrician Academy; Mallow; St Mary’s High School, Midleton; St Colman’s Community College, Midleton; St…
Combining two dimensions of Christ’s ministry is difficult
Courtney McGrailDear Editor, In the course of the interview with Mary McAleese ‘There’s something about Mary’ (IC 12/11/2015) she stated “My views are founded emphatically in the Gospel”, before going on to explain in beautiful language that her faith in Christ is “the essence of my being”, “the love of Christ, his offer of mercy to…
Mrs McAleese is not a bridge builder for the Church
Dear Editor, I read with interest Martin O’Brien’s interview with Mary McAleese in your November 12 edition. He was high in his praise and admiration of her. We all admired her many good qualities, her courage and determination, her intelligence, her eloquence and not least her commitment to build peace between the two communities she had such…
Media monitors urge Vatican to honour press freedom
Media monitors at the 57-country Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have condemned the Vatican’s trial of two journalists and their alleged sources, and have called on the Holy See to honour its commitments to press freedom. “Our main concern is for the protection of confidential sources,” said Gunnar Vrang, spokesman for OSCE’s…
World News in Brief
Mali Church leaders insist friendship with Muslims will continue Relations between Catholics and Muslims in Mali will not be affected by the November 20 attack on Bamako’s Radisson Hotel, according to the secretary-general of Mali’s Catholic bishops’ conference. While conceding that the attack, in which at least 20 people were killed, was part of a wider Islamist campaign, Msgr Edmond Dembele recalled how…
Thanksgiving and praise
Cathal BarryThe Church teaches that the Eucharist is the memorial of Christ’s Passover, writes Cathal Barry
Overpowering light can seem like darkness
Fr Ronald RolheiserWhen I first began teaching theology, I fantasised about writing a book about the hiddenness of God. Why does God remain hidden and invisible? Why doesn’t God just show himself plainly in a way that nobody can dispute? One of the standard answers to that question was this: If God did manifest himself plainly there…
Open your ears
Listening to someone is a most powerful gift and the gateway to building healthy relationships, writes Marian Byrne