The current deal between the State and St Vincent’s for the National Maternity Hospital pleases no-one, writes Ruadhán Jones The Religious Sisters of Charity acted with the best of intentions when they offered a site worth €200 million for free to facilitate a new maternity hospital. However, from the word go this deal proved controversial,…
Staff reporter A recent peer-reviewed study has debunked claims that legalising euthanasia or assisted suicide (EAS) leads to fewer non-assisted suicides. Director of the UK’s Anscombe Bioethics Centre David Jones said that their study, Euthanasia, Assisted Suicide, and Suicide Rates in Europe, has shown that current European data reveals a “consistent association” with increased suicide…
It may take time, but Ireland’s abortion law is not settled and the pendulum will swing again, writes Killian Foley-Walsh Like many who campaigned for the retention of Ireland’s life-saving Eighth Amendment, the triumphal scenes that followed its repeal by a two-to-one margin nearly four years ago broke my heart. I looked on with dismay…
Speaking on Vocations Sunday, Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan warned that “screaming” voices in the media can draw us away from God. Bishop Cullinan, chairman of the council for vocations in the Irish bishops’ conference, said that “the only voice that really matters, is the voice of God” in his homily during Mass for vocations Sunday, May…
Cardinal George Pell said Friday that the recent testimony of Cardinal Angelo Becciu at the Vatican finance trial “was somewhat incomplete”. He drew particular attention to a lack of evidence regarding payments of more than $1.6 million made to Neustar Australia, an information services firm, in 2017 and 2018. Cardinal Becciu, who was the second-ranking…
An Irish inter-faith gathering has said EU governments should recognise the unique role churches and faith communities play in maintaining “the soul of Europe”. The comments come in a report submitted to the Conference on the Future of Europe, based on a meeting between Irish churches and faith communities in Dublin City University. Participant The…
Dr Fáinche Ryan Christian theology is an exploration of what it means to be human, and to live humanly in this world, writes Dr Fáinche Ryan ‘Top MP resigns for watching pornography in the Commons’ was a newspaper headline late last month. Comments around the culture of sexism in the British parliament. On Irish radio…
Word on Fire Catholic Ministries, founded by Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop Robert Barron, issued a brief statement May 2 saying it had fired an employee possibly over an incident involving some unwelcome advances. “The accusations against this employee surrounded events in the employee’s personal life, not the Word on Fire workplace, and did not involve…
The Covid pandemic seems to be followed by a pandemic of tired and stressed-out people, writes Jason Osborne A cursory google reveals that the number of people wondering whether they’re burnt out is at something of an all-time high. Anecdotally, chatting to friends reveals a general sense of lingering exhaustion or lethargy that started during the pandemic…
Staff reporter Bishop Fintan Gavin said that everyone can help promote vocations to the priesthood, as the diocese of Cork and Ross launched a fresh appeal for people to consider becoming priests. Bishop Gavin launched a diocesan prayer card for vocations at St Joseph’s Church, Glanmire, Co. Cork on Saturday May 7. Speaking at the…
Ruadhán Jones