What was once a closed military zone has now been opened to pilgrims, writes Michael Kelly One of the highlights of any pilgrimage to the Holy Land now is a visit to the Qasr al-Yahud site in the West Bank where Jesus was baptised in the River Jordan. I first visited the site in 2007,…
Francis has opened up a new ministry while restating the Church’s teaching that only men can be ordained priests, writes Cindy Wooden Recognising “the gifts of each baptised person” – women and men – Pope Francis has ordered a change to Canon Law and liturgical norms so that women could be formally installed as lectors…
The View It is profoundly disappointing, not to mention scary if you are what the French call a ‘certain age’ to be once again in lockdown. It is heartbreaking to see it sweeping again through nursing homes, including places where it was successfully kept out in previous waves. Impacts Young people may not be as…
Australia’s financial crime watchdog said Thursday that it is conducting a “detailed review” of Vatican-linked transfers worth $2.3 billion Australian dollars (€1.5 billion). The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC), a government agency, said January 7 that it was seeking to shed light on the mystery transfers in cooperation with the Vatican. “AUSTRAC…
The commission doesn’t shy away from laying blame at the foot of families as well as Church and State, writes Chai Brady The responsibility for the “harsh treatment” of unmarried mothers “rests mainly with the fathers of their children and their own immediate families”, according to the commission investigating the institutions. The report – which…
The fall of nearly 50% in Down Syndrome births between 2011-2015 is “horrifying”, but not a surprise, the Life Institute and the Pro-life Campaign say. They also criticised the “complete cloak of concealment and silence around abortion in Ireland”, which means we do not know how many children with disabilities are being aborted. Their statements…
Some priests might find the prospect of getting married attractive, but what about their would-be spouses asks Ruadhán Jones In 2018, when the World Meeting of Families came to Ireland, it gave me a chance to reconnect with a priest-friend from Romania. He holds the unique spot in my life as the only married priest…
The number of babies with Down syndrome who were born in Europe fell by half between 2011 and 2015 – confirming the fears of pro-life campaigners in the UK, who have long argued that increased prenatal testing for Down syndrome has led many women to abort their children. Down syndrome A study published during December…
The Loyola Institute is moving its ‘Faith Seeking Understanding’ course online, making it more accessible to a wider audience across Ireland and the world, in order to help those who want to become more “literate about their Faith”. The four-week course in theology is intended to introduce participants to the wealth of theological insight available…
None of us are served unless we have a debate that is rounded and looks at attitudes in other countries, writes David Quinn Much of the commentary down the years about the mother and baby home has focused on the role the Church played in creating harsh attitudes towards unmarried mothers and their children. The…
Michael Kelly
Breda O'Brien
Chai Brady
Ruadhán Jones
David Quinn