The Church teaches that the Eucharist is its heart and summit, writes Cathal Barry In an ancient prayer the Church acclaims the mystery of the Eucharist: “O sacred banquet in which Christ is received as food, the memory of his Passion is renewed, the soul is filled with grace and a pledge of the life…
RTÉ will not reconsider its decision to axe Tim Thurston’s popular Sunday morning radio programme, Gloria, despite a petition calling for its reinstatement gaining support from thousands of loyal fans. Aodán Ó Dubhghaill, Head of RTÉ Lyric fm, told The Irish Catholic that he was hopeful listeners would “hear Tim again in the future” but…
St Patrick’s College, Maynooth is set to strengthen its links with a number of top-level European colleges this year. The Kildare-based Pontifical University has been in discussions since 2013 with Heythrop College, London (Britain), Tilburg School of Catholic Theology, Utrecht (Holland) and the Newman Institute, Uppsala (Sweden) with a view to forming a strategic partnership.…
Staff reporter Renowned Catholic thinker Jean Vanier will be the theme of an event in Dublin next week to mark the ‘Year of Mercy’. Mr Vanier is renowned for his founding of the L’Arche movement and his work with people living with developmental disabilities. US-based Prof. Michael W. Higgins, an expert on Vanier’s spirituality and author…
Paul Keenan looks at those pastoral workers lost to violence in the last 12 months Statistics by their nature are flat, dry things. Designed more for the summation of the ‘state of play’ for, say, Wall Street stocks or the standing of political parties at a given time, statistics offer an emotionless picture that fails…
Dear Editor, In The Irish Catholic (31/12/2015) George Hook was like a firework going off for New Year’s Eve. Few people expected his happy call back to faith. Welcome to the fold, George. George is the type who would take up with gusto the challenge of moderns who claim, as he suggests, that “it is…
The Church teaches that the Eucharist strengthens our charity, which tends to be weakened in daily life, writes Cathal Barry The Church teaches that Holy Communion “augments” the recipient’s union with Christ. “The principal fruit of receiving the Eucharist in Holy Communion is an intimate union with Christ Jesus,” the Catechism of the Catholic Church…
The Belgian spiritual writer, Bieke Vandekerckhove, comes by her wisdom honestly. She didn’t learn what she shares from a book or even primarily from the good example of others. She learned what she shares through the crucible of a unique suffering, being hit at the tender age of 19 with a terminal disease that promised…
Mags Gargan speaks to people involved in the weekly family Mass in St Aidan’s parish in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford Offering a weekly family Mass is a great opportunity for parishes to create an atmosphere where families feel part of the community of faith, especially children, who by participating in the ceremony gain a fuller understanding…
Christmas is over and the new year is here yet it’s not too late or even too early to make decorations for next Christmas. During the Christmas holidays, it can be easy to forget to make New Year’s resolutions when you are caught up in all of the festivities. Making your resolutions early in January…
Cathal Barry
Paul Keenan
Courtney McGrail
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Mags Gargan
Erin Fox