Fr Ronald RolheiserIn 2011, a book by a young writer, Bieke Vandekerckhove, won the award as The Spiritual Book of the Year in her native Belgium. Entitled The Taste of Silence, the book chronicles her own struggles after being diagnosed at age 19 with ALS, commonly called Lou Gehrig’s disease, a degenerative neurological condition that always results…
Month: October 2016
Countering the charges against faith schools
Courtney McGrailRuth Kelly shared Britain’s experience of faith schools
The first trimester
Wendy GraceWendy Grace describes the early months of pregnancy
Children of war
Iraqi children who escaped fi erce fi ghting in Mosul rest on the ground October 20 upon reaching the Syrian border near Hassakeh. Photo: CNS
Pakistan discusses greater protections for minorities
Pakistan’s parliament has discussed two legislative bills directly affecting minority religions. Amid ongoing abuses of the country’s blasphemy laws – and the uncertain position of imprisoned Asia Bibi – politicians have discussed both the establishment of a ‘Pakistan Minority Rights Commission’ and a law to prevent forced conversions. Under proposals for a Minority Rights Commission,…
Church bells signal liberation for people in Northern Iraq
The bells of Christian churches in Northern Iraq have begun to ring out for the first time in over two years as government forces liberate villages and towns around besieged Mosul. As a means of simultaneously signalling freedom regained and of the endurance of Christian communities, bells began to ring out last weekend as militants…
Inclusion of abortion campaigner on Citizens’ Assembly criticised
Paul KeenanThe Pro Life Campaign (PLC) has expressed concern at the inclusion in last weekend’s Citizens’ Assembly meeting of a pro-abortion campaigner who “plans to politicise” the process. As the 99 members of the assembly gathered in Dublin Castle, the PLC revealed that “a very prominent pro-choice campaigner has been tweeting about his membership of the…
We have a responsibility to 100m persecuted Christians
Michael Kelly“Only by raising awareness can we end the silence that has left many struggling Christians feeling that they are abandoned”, writes Michael Kelly
Focus aid funding on girls’ education – missionaries
Greg DalyMissionaries have called on the Government to make educating girls in the developing world a key priority in Ireland’s foreign aid budget. The call comes in the aftermath of the International Day of the Girl last week. Sr Brigid Tunney, Mission Development Officer for the Loreto Sisters, told The Irish Catholic that targeted funding for…
Sweet Cork of Thee
On the Banks: Cork City in Poems and Songs edited by Alannah Hopkin (Collins Press, €17.99)