Personal Profile A generation of philosophers, sociologists, and public intellectuals wrote off religion, declaring that we were moving into a secular age where faith would be redundant. But as Dr Michael Kirwan SJ, new director of the Loyola Institute in Trinity College Dublin (TCD), points out, this hasn’t happened. In fact, Dr Kirwan explains, many…
We would all like to live in a simple and straightforward world, wouldn’t we? I was listening to my daughter earlier today. She has been home since just before Christmas and is now getting ready to go back to university. In contrast to other years, she has barely seen her friends. There was talk of…
The Sunday Gospel Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap. Pope Francis, with the assistance of Austen Ivereigh, recently published a book entitled Let us Dream. In describing his ideals for the world, he was not the first dreamer. He is following his Master. Jesus began his public mission by proclaiming his dream: he called it the…
Dear Editor, The Irish Catholic [IC 07/01/2020] carried criticism, by David Quinn and others, of the Irish Government and of our bishops for the suspension of public Masses. The point made was that Ireland was amongst few European countries in taking this step. In light of decisions taken in Northern Ireland and Britain since then,…
Bishops urge French Catholics to pray and fast as bioethics bill returns to Senate French bishops asked Catholics on Wednesday January 13 to pray and fast for the next four Fridays for respect for human life from conception in response to new legislation. The bishops of France called on “all Catholics, as well as men…
The Stoic philosopher Epictetus observed almost 2,000 years ago that “it is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows”. I’ve thought about it a lot over the last week regarding the reaction to the mother and baby report. Some newspaper columnists have called on Judge Yvonne Murphy’s report to be set aside because –…
US emissions in 2020 in biggest fall since World War II The BBC has reported that US greenhouse gas emissions have dropped below their 1990 level for this first time as a result of the response to the coronavirus pandemic. Research group Rhodium said that overall emissions are down over 10%, which is the largest…
While I wrote about Beethoven’s String Quartets at various times during his 250th anniversary last year, other topics diverted me along the way only allowing me to reach his 13th – Op 130. Beethoven’s C sharp minor 14th Quartet was written in the first half of 1826. Arguably the greatest of his last five, it…
Children’s Corner A very popular experiment which always delivers quite spectacular results is the Diet Coke and Mentos geyser. It’s a lot of fun and sure to amaze your friends and family (assuming you do it outside rather than inside your house). Apparatus – Large bottle of Diet Coke – About half a pack of…
Last week Covid-19 had to share the media limelight with the report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission – grim stories from past and present. In the blanket coverage first and foremost there were the heart-breaking stories of mothers and their babies, the personal stories of residual hurt and anger made all the more…
Ruadhán Jones
Bairbre Cahill
Michael Kelly
Chai Brady
Brendan O’Regan