Courtney McGrailVenezuela’s leading prelate has urged the government to remain true to pledges made when entering cross party dialogue towards ending the country’s economic crisis. As talks between representatives of President Nicolas Maduro and opposition figures continue, Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino of Caracas spoke publicly on issues of action agreed to by government but not yet…
Month: December 2016
Calls for protection for Middle East Christians
The president of the World Jewish Congress has called for greater action to stem persecution of Christians in the Middle East. Addressing an interfaith forum in New York City, Ronald S. Lauder drew parallels with the Holocaust of World War II and lamented that little appears to have changed in relation to genocidal slaughter. “Today…
Watch The Innocents – the most poignant film I’ve seen this year
Mary Kenny“The director… transmits the fragility of faith as well as its strengths, and a genuinely powerful sense of sisterhood emerges…”, writes Mary Kenny
News in Brief
Opus Dei Prelate Echevarria dies in Rome The Opus Dei community in Ireland is mourning the passing of the congregation’s prelate, Bishop Javier Echevarria, who died in Rome on December 12. According to Paul Harman, spokesperson for the prelature, “the Irish community takes a small measure of comfort from the fact that Bishop Echevarria passed…
A question of Constitutional rights
Dear Editor, In 2017 or 2018, we can expect to have a referendum on repealing the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution (or the rights of the unborn). While there is an opinion that abortion is acceptable in exceptional circumstances, the questions foremost in my mind must be the following: Why is it an indictable offence…
Reflections inspired by God’s communication
Dear Editor, In a culture of ignorance or indifference to the mystery of Jesus Christ may I suggest some reflections inspired by God’s communication with us, beginning with the call of Abraham to become the father of the Jewish chosen people, God’s inspiration of messengers/prophets to go among the people and to begin writing the…
Others beyond Trump and Clinton
Dear Editor, Your correspondent Declan Cooney (Letters IC 01/12/2016) took Fr Gerry O’Hanlon to task for bemoaning the election of the Republican candidate as President of the USA. In doing so he repeated the “there was no other alternative [to Hilary Clinton]” argument which has already been trotted out – and refuted – ad nauseum. There…
Catholic Church not a force for good? ‘I refute it thus’!
John L. Allen Jr.Rather famously, in 2009 the late atheist pundit Christopher Hitchens and actor Stephen Fry squared off against British MP Ann Widdecombe and then-Archbishop, now Cardinal, John Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria, in an Intelligence Squared debate in London over the proposition that “the Catholic Church is a force for good in the world”. By consensus, Hitchens…
A blessing for the baby Jesus
A boy holds his Nativity scene as Pope Francis leads the Angelus in St Peter’s Square December 11. In an annual tradition, Roman children brought their fi gurines of the baby Jesus to the Angelus. Photo: CNS
Fulton Sheen process delayed by appeal
The anticipated commencement of the Cause for Canonisation of America’s Archbishop Fulton Sheen has been dealt a blow by confirmation that the transfer of his remains to the Diocese of Peoria in Illinois is to be legally challenged by the Archdiocese of New York, their current location. On November 17, the Manhattan Supreme Court ruled…