Paul KeenanThe Holy Land yielded startling finds in 2016, writes Paul Keenan
Month: December 2016
BBC acknowledges falsely accusing wartime Church of ‘silence’
Courtney McGrailThe British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has acknowledged that it incorrectly accused the Catholic Church of failing to speak out or act against the persecution of Jews in Europe during World War II. During a BBC news broadcast in July, covering Pope Francis’ visit to the Auschwitz concentration camp, a reporter stated: “Silence was the response…
Don’t give up
Dear Editor, I was pleasantly surprised to read in your paper of December 15 that almost 40% of people in the Republic of Ireland plan to see Pope Francis when he visits Ireland. With curiosity likely to increase over the next two years, I would expect the 11% who are undecided to come to think…
A little something for the ‘ideas’ file
Dear Editor, Fr Conor McDonough’s column of December 15 – ‘In praise of books at Christmas’ – reminded me of an older notebook in your paper where one Maolsheachlann O’Ceallaigh wondered about what middle ground there is between, say, introductory books on St Thomas Aquinas and scholarly articles on the Angelic Doctor (‘Beyond Catholicism 101’…
The People that walked in darkness has seen a great light’
The English Sculptor, Henry Moore is unique because in his work what appears essential is left out; the light is let in…In his work the light always wins. Of all the symbols of this Christmas Season, light is probably the most evocative. The story of how light triumphs over darkness has so much to do…
Vatican Roundup
Vatican envoy warns of rising anti-Christian violence in Europe Anti-Christian intolerance and violence are on the rise in Europe, the Holy See’s Permanent Representative to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has warned. In three addresses to a December 14 conference in Vienna on ‘Combating Intolerance and Discriminations of Christians’, Monsignor Janusz…
The Francis effect
Pope Francis greets a boy as he arrives to lead his general audience in Paul VI hall at the Vatican. Photo: CNS
World News in Brief
Christian umbrella group calls for action on church collapse The Christian Association of Nigeria, the umbrella body for Christian denominations in that country, has alleged that poor enforcement of building codes was directly responsible for the December 10 fatal church collapse. Investigators state that the official number of dead in the incident at the Reigners…
2016 books of the year
In these pages some of our regular reviewers provide a brief appreciation of their best most interesting books of the year, a selection of very varied reading which others will also enjoy.
Common sense from Bishop on Brexit
Dear Editor, Derry’s Bishop Donal McKeown seems to be showing far more common sense on Brexit’s reality (‘New Brexit report on Ireland asks crucial questions – Derry bishop’ IC 15/12/2016) than do Britain’s parliamentary members and lords. In welcoming the Lords’ report on Brexit’s possible impacts on Northern Ireland, the bishop rightly says he is…