Our world is mired in sexual confusion, which St John Paul II anticipated and provided a remedy for in his Theology of the Body, writes Jason Osborne Recent weeks saw the announcement of the first transgender athlete to compete in the Olympics, a development which resulted in an outpouring of anger, outrage, confusion and criticism…
Month: July 2021
Polish Catholic archbishop sanctioned by Vatican defends election as mayor
A Polish Catholic archbishop sanctioned by the Vatican has defended his election as a village mayor. Archbishop Sławoj Leszek Głódz told Radio Zet on June 29 that his role as mayor of Piaski, in northeastern Poland, did not conflict with canon law. Canon 285 of the Code of Canon Law says that “clerics are forbidden…
On following moral rules
Everyday Philosophy There’s an interesting tension in Catholic moral thought. On the one hand, we have the prevalent idea that living well as a Catholic is not a matter of rule-following. The last few popes have spoken extensively about how authentic faith is not about obeying a set of rules, but a relationship with God.…
Faith in the Family
Christina Malone Last year my children and I started reading the children’s Bible (again). We made our way from Adam and Eve to Moses, Noah, Ruth, Daniel and many others. Moses was the one that sparked endless discussions and questions for days after. My girls were astounded that he built a tabernacle big enough that…
Bishops support investigation of former US residential schools
Carol Zimmermann In response to a late June announcement, the United States will be conducting an investigation of former federally funded boarding schools to search for graves of Native American children, a spokesperson for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops said June 28 the bishops will “look for ways to be of assistance”. “It is…
Recent books in brief
Time to Call Home by Hugh O’Donnell (Veritas, €14.99/£12.90) Fr Hugh O’Donnell SDB lives in Dublin’s inner-city, where he helps minister to the local parish. But in his writing and poetry he explores what he sees as “ecological spirituality”. Doubtless the cityscape that surrounds his daily life sharpens the contrast with what should be the true ecological…
Following St Augustine in the 21st century
Personal Profile Fr Colm O’Mahony OSA wears many hats: vocations director for the Augustinians in Ireland; student master for the pre-novitiate; and prior and bursar of the Drogheda community. But it was always the call of community life that attracted him to the Augustinians, and his zeal for work ‘on the ground’ is constantly renewed…
Vatican Roundup
Vatican secretary of state urges Catholic Church in Germany to unite Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, urged German Catholics to put aside visions and individual needs, noting, “the community must take precedence”. Addressing several German bishops during a church service June 29, Cardinal Parolin referred to Pope Francis’ 2019 letter on the Synodal…
What’s inside the face of God?
O God, for you I long; for you my soul is thirsting. My body pines for you like a dry, weary land without water. We pray these words with sincerity. Do we ever really mean them? Can we honestly say that the heartaches that drive us to our knees are a longing to see God?…
Starting the day with a kiss
Myself and my wife are married 6 years, I have fond memories of our first few years of marriage always leaving in the morning with a kiss goodbye, but as the years have passed and our family has grown, each morning is filled with stress and rows and it’s impacting our relationship. I am sure there…



Ben Conroy



Ruadhán Jones

Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Wendy Grace