To visit Europe’s holiest sites is to connect with a living tradition writes Michael Kelly Pope St John Paul II, during a visit to the historic pilgrim city of Santiago de Compostela in 1982, issued a passionate plea for Europeans to rediscover the Christian roots of the continent. “I send to you, age-old Europe, a…
A Vatican cardinal has confirmed that an increasing number of priests turn down appointment as bishop, writes Michael Kelly A joke popular in some clerical circles is to quip that anyone who wants to be a bishop deserves it. But, more often than not, many a true word is spoken in jest. Anyone intimately acquainted…
Bishop Donal McKeown accepts a ‘Book of Forgiveness’ prepared for the Year of Mercy from students in St Columba’s Primary School, who were among 142 schools to attend a diocesan celebration for Catholic Schools Week in St Eugene’s Cathedral in Derry last week. Photo: Stephen Latimer
Some of Ireland’s most-prominent religious sites are hoping for a ‘Pope Francis effect’ boost during the Jubilee of Mercy which the Pontiff has proclaimed this year. Representatives were amongst a delegation of pilgrimage leaders from around the world who were in Rome to hear Pope Francis outline his view that pilgrimage is key to the…
Christians are closer, but theological obstacles to unity seem to be multiplying, writes Martin Browne OSB The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is over for another year. I have more than a passing interest in this annual observance. Ecumenical prayer and cooperation have long been an important part of my own spiritual journey. Added…
Seán Rogers MLA talks faith, family and politics with Martin O’Brien You are not in the company of Seán Rogers MLA, husband, father, ACCORD facilitator, Eucharistic Minister, Minister of the Word, cancer survivor, before you are touched by the strength of his faith, his steadfast belief in the power of prayer and his conviction that…
Soldiers of Christ: The Knights Hospitaller and the Knights Templar in Medieval Ireland ed. Martin Browne OSB and Colmán Ó Clabaigh OSB (Four Courts Press, €50.00 hb) Ever since the controversy over The Da Vinci Code the Knights Templar have become a stock item in books from ‘alternative historians’ who have produced so many strange…
Killers of the King: the men who dared to execute Charles I by Charles Spencer (Bloomsbury, £8.99pb) J. Anthony Gaughan A book by Princess Diana’s brother would be certain to be of wide interest. But in this account of the vengeance that pursued the men who ordered the death of Charles I he has found…
One might expect a website called decentfilms.com to be a worthy if tedious exercise, but Steven D. Greydanus’ criticism has long been one of the jewels of the Catholic internet. Demonstrating a deep knowledge and understanding of both cinema and the Faith, the New Jersey diaconal candidate and film critic for The National Catholic Register…
In spite of the sometimes overwhelming challenges, it is important for religious to retain joy and confidence, writes Andrew O’Connell I’m writing this week’s Notebook from St Mel’s Cathedral in Longford where a hundred or so religious from across the Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnois have gathered for a conference hosted by Bishop Francis Duffy…
Michael Kelly
Greg Daly
Martin O'Brien
Peter Costello