We need to be wary of factions who will try to manipulate the planned meeting for their own purposes, writes David Quinn The bishops have announced that they are to hold a national synod of the Church within the next five years. It will be a meeting of priests, religious and laypeople to discuss the…
Pope Francis has returned safe and sound, despite the fears of many, from his historic four day trip to Iraq. His visit seems to have deeply affected many both in the country itself and in the wider world. The damage done in the decades since the original American interventions is still very real. But the…
As we celebrate our national patron who brought hope to a dark and troubled land, the sites associated with his mission are provoking fresh interest, writes Michael Kelly Perhaps one of the paradoxes of Covid-19 restrictions has been that March 17 being stripped of the parades and green beer, has allowed space for a deeper reflection…
A religious sister in northern Burma knelt before police last Monday, begging them not to use violent force against protestors. In a video, Sr Ann Rose Nu Tawng, a member of the Sisters of St Francis Xavier, can be seen speaking March 8 to two kneeling police officers in the city of Myitkyina, the capital…
Our ever-evolving world is bringing about newer methods of fraud by the day, so it’s important to stay alert, writes Jason Osborne An advertisement I saw recently on the internet suggesting that I could “double” my Bitcoin got me thinking about how a scam like this would make no sense to someone even 20 years ago.…
While the pandemic restricts pastoral outreach, it can lead to greater creativity in families, Cardinal Tagle tells Ruadhán Jones The Irish Bishops recently released a statement criticising the Government for their inaction over a return to public worship. It was another reminder of the challenges the Church in Ireland has faced as a result of…
Lord of the World, a novel by Robert Hugh Benson (Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame, $15.95/£10.99) In January 2015 during an in-flight interview from Manila to Rome, Pope Francis referred to the ‘ideological colonisation’ of international family-planning agencies and national governments that impose population control as a condition of development aid. The reporter asked what he…
A religious sister and registered nurse who served those sick with Covid-19 in Italy has been honoured by the US State Department with the “Women of Courage” Award. Sr Alicia Vacas Moro is a Comboni Missionary Sister originally from Spain who has served the poor and the sick as a nurse in Egypt, the West…
Everyday Philosophy In my first year of university, the study of philosophy was divided into three subtopics. There were lectures and classes in logic, ethics, and then ‘general philosophy’ which was supposed to include everything else. I showed up to my first lecture in the latter as a fresh-faced undergraduate eager for knowledge, and left…
Letter from Rome Pope Francis’s recent trip to Iraq will undoubtably have a lasting impact on the country in ways that only time will tell. In the immediate aftermath, a few significant developments can already be seen. According to some observers, even before the historic March 5-8 trip took place, the first-ever papal visit to…
David Quinn
Peter Costello
Michael Kelly
Ruadhán Jones
Ben Conroy