Letter from Rome A scandal’s impact can be measured multiple ways, with the most obvious being the toll it takes in terms of bad press, litigation and settlements, declining attendance or market share, as well as disillusionment and outrage among the rank and file. What’s often harder to assess is the opportunity cost – what…
The number of homeless people in Ireland is far more than 10,000 according to the CEO of a major homeless charity, and Government figures don’t “recognise the scale of the problem”. Speaking at the launch of Merchants Quay Ireland’s (MQI) 2017 Annual Report, outgoing CEO Tony Geoghegan said the figure of 9,846 in emergency accommodation…
A prominent Dublin priest has defended having congratulated the ‘Yes’ side for having run a successful campaign in the abortion referendum, saying “people don’t listen to sore losers”. Speaking at the Kennedy Summer School earlier this month, Ballyfermot’s Fr Joe McDonald complimented Deirdre Duffy of the Together for Yes referendum campaign for the campaign’s “wonderful…
A Church of England (CofE) archbishop has been accused of hypocrisy after criticising Amazon’s tax practices, despite the church being one of its largest investors. In a homily last week the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, attacked the company for paying “almost nothing in taxes” and “leaching off the taxpayer”. Archbishop Welby also described zero-hour…
Elise Harris While many in conservative camps of the Church feared sweeping changes to the structure and function of the Synod of Bishops following the tumultuous 2014-2015 gatherings on the family, Pope Francis largely upheld the current process. Critics who have been frustrated at the current process, however, might also be disappointed that no…
Men’s Sheds provide a vital role is combating mental health issues, writes Colm Fitzpatrick Typically, sheds have been understood to be small garden-based shacks which store tools or extra clutter, but a new type of shed taking Ireland by storm is also housing men. And their purpose? To gather for meaningful projects and tackle…
Science of Life You might think that social class divisions are fast disappearing in our modern world as we all increasingly enjoy affording things that used to be luxuries, e.g. motor cars, foreign holidays, university education, etc. but a recent review by Antony Manstead (British Journal of Social Psychology, Vol. 57, Issue 2, 2018)…
Lack of vocations in Ireland is due to orders becoming “sterile” said the Pope during his private address to Jesuits during his visit to Ireland. The text of Pope Francis’ meeting with Jesuits, a regular occurrence during papal trips, was published almost a month after his visit to Ireland for the World Meeting of Families.…
A 350-page document leaked to German media documents nearly 3,700 cases of alleged sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests, deacons and clergy in Germany over a 68-year period. The release of the document caused shock in Germany, with many criticising the German bishops’ conference for its detailed knowledge of the abuse and their silence…
Kindling the Flame: 150 years of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation by Niamh Puirséil (Gill, €24.99) Daire Keogh Media reports of the planned retirement of Sheila Nunan as general secretary of the Irish National Teachers Organisation have naturally focussed both on her personal achievement, as first female leader of her union, and the enduring influence…
John L. Allen Jr.
Chai Brady
Colm Fitzpatrick
William Reville