Other countries are opting for a more balanced approach to coronavirus, writes David Quinn At the weekend, the Netherlands played Latvia in a qualifying match for the soccer World Cup. In Ireland, the equivalent game with Luxembourg was devoid of spectators. In the Netherlands, 5,000 were permitted to attend in a stadium that can fit…
Christoph Cardinal Schönborn has declared he was “not happy with the explanation of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith”, since the message reported by the dicastery was “only a no”, and declared he would, under certain circumstances, bless same-sex unions. The CDF said March 15 that the Church hasn’t the power to bless…
Churches opened their doors to the Faithful for a “wonderful” return to Mass in Northern Ireland on Friday March 26. Fr Tim Bartlett, administrator of St Mary’s Church, Belfast, said that it was a privilege to hold public Mass for the first time since January. “You could see the smiles on everybody as they were…
There is “strong hope” that families of the victims of the Ballymurphy massacre in west Belfast will see their loved ones vindicated as they await the coroner’s findings, according to the parish priest. Fr Paddy McCafferty PP of Corpus Christi, Ballymurphy said there has been 50 years of “anguish” in the lead up to fresh…
Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, 64, said he won’t resign following the publication of the report on the handling of clerical sex abuse in the Archdiocese of Cologne. “To simply take the moral responsibility with me and to go to protect the reputation of the office of bishop and of the Church – I think that’s…
After a long and arduous Lent compounded by lockdown, some Easter activities can breathe new life back into your house, writes Jason Osborne If Lent is a challenge every year, it has been an arduous slog this year in particular. We’ve already given up so much that we took for granted, and we found ourselves…
Myths and conspiracies about Covid would stop if everyone saw the first-hand effects, Chai Brady hears The worst thing anyone could do after the world manages to suppress the virus and life returns to some normality is to pretend nothing happened, as the many challenging situations people have faced must be acknowledged and new ways…
Finding the Peacemakers: A journey of faith from the mines of Chile to the deserts of the Middle East by Dan Morrice (Hodder & Stoughton, £14.99) Anthony Redmond There is so much in this truly extraordinary book, and it covers so much ground and so many subjects, that I find it difficult to know where to…
The rhetoric from some members of the Oireachtas should seriously worry us, writes David Mullins During the course of a recent Dáil debate, Alan Kelly, the leader of the Labour party, suggested that the assets of those religious orders who were involved in the mother and baby homes should be seized in the event that…
The Word is Very Near You by Fr Wilfrid Stinissen OCD (Ignatius Press £12.50/€12.00) W e all want a personal relationship with God. But that seems very difficult when, more often than not, he doesn’t speak to us in prayer. He may prompt or console, but verbal communication or physical contact – two essential components to…
David Quinn
Ruadhán Jones
Chai Brady