Pope to meet 500 poor from across Europe in Assisi Pope Francis will visit Assisi, Italy on November 12, where he will spend time with a group of 500 poor people from across Europe, the Vatican announced Friday. The encounter will take place as part of the Catholic Church’s celebration of the 5th annual World…
The Sunday Gospel The prayer of the blind man, Bartimaeus, is a model of prayer. It is full of reverence, simplicity, trust and perseverance. It is the basis of what is known as the Jesus Prayer. This has always been popular in the Orthodox tradition but forgotten in the West until recent times. The prayer…
The shock was palpable as news spread on Friday afternoon that the British MP Sir David Amess had been killed. His murder – by a suspected Islamist – sent shockwaves through the political system in Britain. While every death in such circumstances is beyond awful, Sir David’s murder seems to have struck a deeper chord…
Dear Editor, thank you for your considered and may I say temperate response to the cringy attention-seeking comparison by Fr Roy Donovan of the Church to the Taliban (The Irish Catholic, October 14, 2021). In Jason Osborne’s article, Fr Donovan is at least clear in admitting that he used the extreme language precisely in order…
US archbishop: Covid vaccines morally permissible, but troops may conscientiously object The archbishop of the US military archdiocese believes that vaccine should not be mandatorily imposed on service members. Archbishop Broglio, of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, underlined in a statement ‘Coronavirus Vaccines and the Sanctity of Conscience’, that “no one should be forced…
Up to last Friday lunchtime I had never heard of Sir David Amess MP, and having heard all the wonderful tributes that followed his tragic death I wish I had. Shortly after lunch, news of the stabbing started trickling through on Twitter. I was listening to Sheelagh Fogarty (LBC) where it was the main topic…
Notebook I have never met him, nor have I ever spoken with him. I have read his words and been aware of his presence in my life for more than a year. Occasionally he sends emails and they are a joy to read. Filled with reflection and acknowledgement, he reminds me that the words we…
Tom Sullivan’s evocative Irish language drama Arracht (12A) – the literal translation of the word is ‘monster’ – like Lance Daly’s Black ‘47 of a few years ago, has English subtitles. They may throw some people but it’s primarily a visual experience so they don’t over-intrude. Set in 1845 on the eve of the Famine,…
The Life Institute is pushing for a rethink of the 2018 abortion law in light of a “horrifying” increase in abortion numbers, as an independent review of the law looms
Parents are not less interested in Catholic education compared to previous generations and Catholic schools “should not shy away from ethos”, according to Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell. In his homily at the Mass for the Association of Patrons and Trustees of Catholic School (APTCS) at the Dominican retreat centre in Tallaght, Dublin, Archbishop Farrell…
Michael Kelly
Brendan O’Regan
Aubrey Malone
Chai Brady