Month: July 2021

Family News

ECB moves closer to digital Euro The European Central Bank took the next step towards a “digital euro” last week by launching the project’s exploration phase, but questions remain about potential pitfalls and benefits for euro zone citizens, AFP reported. The move comes as the Covid-19 pandemic has hastened a shift away from cash, and…

Award-winning young musicians

Last time around I mentioned the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) and its Music Bursary as well as this year’s principal winner – Phoebe White whose cellist brother, Killian, received the award in 2018. But there are two smaller, yet significant, sections to the main bursary. One is the €5,000 Jago Award, the other being the…

The decision to become a priest

Notebook “Why did you become a priest?” Brendan lives not too far from Washington DC and is the middle of three children. I baptised him a short few years ago and each week with his parents and sisters, he joins the parish of Kilmovee for Sunday Mass via webcam. This led him, on one occasion…

In brief

South African bishops call for an end to violence and looting Catholic bishops in South Africa have called for an end to violence and looting that has led to the deaths of 72 people. People were trampled to death this week amid looting and rioting in the streets of two South African provinces, Gauteng and…

Govt decision on Sacrament ban is a ‘mockery’

Dear Editor, Relating to Bishop Tom Deenihan’s comments [IC 01/07/2021] that the Government has directed the Catholic Church to cancel First Holy Communions and Confirmations, I have said it before and I will say it again the Catholic Church’s religious practices and those that attend them are of no interest and therefore not a voting…

Five loaves and two fish

The Sunday Gospel Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap. Today we commence five Sundays when our Gospel is taken from Chapter 6 of John which is all about the bread of life. The symbol of John in art is an eagle which sores high. John begins a chapter with something on ground level such as water…