The Four Gospels: Following in the Footsteps of Jesus by Maurice Hogan SSC (Veritas, €14.99) This interesting book on the four Gospels seems to have grown directly out of the author’s own experiences. Fr Maurice Hogan is a Columban Father. After he was ordained, back in 1965, he went out to the Far East, working…
Ulster rugby players to speak on Christian faith Three well-known Ulster Rugby players – Ruan Pienaar, Wiehahn Herbst and Paul Marshall – will be talking about their faith at a service in St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast, on Monday, January 25, at 8pm. Ruan Pienaar has 88 caps for South Africa and played for the South African team that won the World Cup…
The Government’s announcement to increase the Direct Provision Allowance (DPA) for asylum seeker children by just €6, has been described as ‘paltry’ and as falling far short of the recommendations of NGOs tasked with identifying improvements to the system. Among the recommendations of the report from the Government-appointed working group published last June, was an…
A strong sense of faith inspired veteran Derry civil rights campaigner Paddy ‘Bogside’ Doherty, according to tributes paid to the 89-year-old who died at home last week following an illness. Paddy Doherty was a driving force behind the Inner City Trust which rebuilt many of the buildings in Derry destroyed during the Troubles. His close…
Mrs Agnus Lenihan and Mrs Marie Dempsey presenting stoles to newly ordained priests Fr John O’Halloran and Fr Michael King on behalf of the St Joseph’s Young Priests’ Society, with Bishop Martin Drennan (centre), at their ordination ceremony in Galway Cathedral. Photo: Lane Studios, Galway
A senior Vatican official has paid tribute to rock legend David Bowie who has died this week at the age of 69 from cancer. Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, the president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, tweeted lyrics from the singer’s 1969 hit Space Oddity. The British rocker has previously spoken about the importance of spirituality…
“If the Pope’s messages sounded bleak, it is because he cares at a deeply personal level about people who suffer”, writes Andrew O’Connell A perceptive article about Pope Francis appeared in the Economist magazine last week. It noted the downbeat tone of some of the Holy Father’s addresses during the lead-in to the festive season,…
The ghosts of Lafcadio Hearn The Little Museum of Dublin has been running an exhibition devoted to Lafcadio Hearn, “the writer on Japan”, as the reference books once used to say. The revival of interest in Hearn in Ireland has been due to the enthusiasm of former ambassador Paul Murray, who through his biography of…
Systematic religious cleansing of Christians is widespread across Africa and the Middle East, according to a new report published this week. The Open Doors 2016 World Watch List reveals that every year well over 100 million Christians are persecuted because of their beliefs. North Korea remains the most dangerous place on Earth to be a…
Tidings of Comfort and Joy: A Christmas Feast of Faith and Fun by Pam Rhodes (Hodder & Stoughton, £14.99) Pam Rhodes will be familiar to many as the presenter of that ever popular BBC offering Songs of Praise. This selection of hymns, poems and thoughts was intended for Christmas, but then Christmas is not just…
Peter Costello
Mags Gargan
Courtney McGrail
Cathal Barry
Greg Daly