Courtney McGrailPope hosts unique Mass for prisoners Pope Francis celebrated a special Mass for prisoners in the presence of 1,000 inmates on November 6. Organissed as part of the Vatican’s Year of Mercy celebrations, the Mass at St Peter’s Basilica brought prisoners together from 12 countries along with their families as well as prison chaplains. Addressing…
Month: November 2016
In memory of the migrants
A woman holds up a cross as people pray along the US-Mexico border fence in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, while taking part in a Mass in support of migrants who died trying to cross illegally into the US. The border Mass was sponsored by dioceses of El Paso, Texas, Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Ciudad Juarez.…
Hope abundant, even amid conflict, says leader of Holy Land Franciscans
Rhina Guidos The responsibilities entrusted to him are great: caring for about 50 shrines, more than two dozen parishes, various schools and other services provided by more than 250 Franciscan friars stationed at some of the most embattled places in the Middle East. But Franciscan Father Francesco Patton seems almost serene about the mission and…
Burned church becomes rallying point for tolerance
Paul KeenanA Baptist church in the US state of Mississippi has become the focal point for goodwill across the world after it was the scene of an arson attack on November 1. Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church in Greenville was gutted by a fire which took responding firefighters some hours to completely control. Investigators subsequently found evidence…
Restoration project offers rare access to tomb of Christ
Last week, for a mere 60 hours – fleeting when set against the last 1,500 years – the tomb of the crucified Jesus lay fully open for the first time within the sanctified confines of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. With the power to move Christians everywhere, more locally the site’s…
Religious institutions need regulation
Dear Editor, The recently issued Vatican directive “that the ashes of loved ones, after cremation, must be buried, stored or scattered, only, in sacred, consecrated communal places” was a timely and welcome one. It brings to mind a little story related by the late Liam Clancy, youngest of the famous singing Clancy Brothers. While…
Follow Bishop Buckley’s leadership
Dear Editor, Having had the experience and privilege of teaching in a faith-based Christian Brothers school with a rich tradition of catering for students from a variety of social background and some from the Jewish faith, the recent education conference on faith-based schools was timely. It is inevitable that pressure for a more secular and…
A day to remember victims of abortion
Dear Editor, Your letters’ page (IC 27/10/2016) has yet again raised the worthy idea of having a national day to remember those who lives have been cut short by the abortion industry. May I suggest that the Friday following the solemnity of Christ the King – falling between November 25 and December 1 inclusive –…
A poor choice as a ‘symbol of life’
Dear Editor, I was at Mass this morning and picked up the bishops’ postcard for Ireland’s Day for Life. I was dismayed to find Mary Robinson pictured on the postcard. Mary Robinson was for the legalisation of abortion as early as 1998. How in God’s holy name could our bishops use her as a symbol…
Some like to live, work and preach with God’s compassion
Dear Editor, Since I am named in a recent letter in your paper, under the heading, ‘Some priests are openly at odds with Church teaching’, ( letter from C.D.C. Armstrong, Belfast, IC 20/10/2016.) I hope you might allow me a small space to reply. Indeed your correspondent expresses the hope that I will be censured…