Dr John Murray Who is the primary educator of children, their parents or the State? Is it wrong for the Catholic Church to have any control or input in schools that are publicly funded? Should Ireland’s schools, including Catholic schools, teach that all religions and belief systems are the same? Such questions are important at…
Vietnam presents two faces to the world, writes Paul Keenan Two recent events in Vietnam neatly illustrate current realities at play in the modern communist state. On January 21, the country’s Catholic Bishops announced that classes at the long-planned theological institute in Ho Chi Minh City will commence this coming September. Based on details offered…
Many of us, I am sure, have been inspired by the movie Of Gods and Men, which tells the story of a group of Trappist monks who, after making a painful decision not to flee from the violence in Algeria in the 1990s, are eventually martyred by Islamic extremists in 1996. Recently, I was much…
Lent is well underway and many readers may have even taken the opportunity to resurrect some of their long forgotten New Year’s resolutions. Among the more popular things to ‘give up’ during Lent are all things confectionary, including sweets, chocolates, cakes and buns. Those who have made such commitments may already be struggling to stick…
Brendan O’Regan reflects on the Election’s media debates being delivered by a “bunch of actors” In every media debate on the General Election it’s like we’re getting the same script, but spoken by a different bunch of actors each time, so I prefer the independent analysis. I’m not a fan of Newstalk’s Breakfast Show, but…
Truce: Murder, myth and the last days of the Irish war of independence by Padráig Óg Ó Ruairc (Mercier Press, Cork, €17.99) Ian D’Alton The Irish Revolution industry marches on. This book is somewhat ahead of the centenary of the events it chronicles, so it is almost a welcome diversion from the veritable tsunami of books about…
Oddball and the Penguins (G) Foxes are killing baby penguins on their colony on Middle Island, which is off the coast of the south-western Australian town of Warrnambool. There used to be thousands of penguins there. Now they’re in danger of extinction, the predatory foxes making their way across the shallow channel from the mainland…
María Salto Galdón examines the impact of Pope Francis on young people’s attitude to the Church Pope Francis: a revolution in our Church nowadays but also in the vast width of our world. ‘The humble Pope’, ‘The Pope of the poor’ that is how the Pope is regarded by everyone. However, are young people today…
St David’s Day is coming up on March 1. St David led a simple life and urged his followers to do the same. He abstained from luxuries which makes his feast day falling during Lent significant. As a vegetarian, he earned the nickname Dewi Ddyrwr which translates as the water drinker. Many miracles are attributed…
Mags Gargan looks at activity camp options across the country to keep children entertained during the school break Lent is upon us and while it might seem early, now is the time to start planning how to keep children busy during the Easter holidays. Easter Sunday can fall on any Sunday between March 22 and…
Paul Keenan
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Cathal Barry
Brendan O’Regan
Aubrey Malone
Erin Fox
Mags Gargan