Soaring inflation and the impacts of Covid-19 are causing increasing strife in Lebanon, writes Chai Brady Despite Lebanon being considered by the World Bank as an upper middle-income country, they face a plethora of crises which are being acutely felt by the most vulnerable and discriminated in society. The country has seen the worst food…
In a particularly poignant passage in her poem, The Leaf and the Cloud, Mary Oliver pictures herself standing at the gravesite of her mother and father, reflecting on their lives. They were far from perfect and she doesn’t sugarcoat their faults. She openly names her mother’s heaviness of soul and her father’s immature faith. She…
With things getting back to normal these days, summer provides enough fine days for us all to make some visits to often overlooked places of faith, as well as a few famous ones. Over the next few weeks some of these will be described here, with their appropriate literary associations. Croagh Patrick I am writing…
You might very well think it is an obvious thing for a priest to say but recently, I have been thinking a lot about Faith. A few weeks ago, the Harvard business school professor, Arthur C. Brooks, shocked RTÉ radio presenter, Brendan O‘Connor by suggesting that the two most important things that guarantee a happy…
Volunteer opportunities’ at Catholic hospital in Kenya. Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Mutomo in Kenya are offering opportunities for volunteers both at the hospital and in the community. The hospital partners with organisations for volunteer and residency programs as well as community health programs such as children and mothers’ initiatives, water and sanitation. They also…
This is a recipe for chocolate biscuit cake which is from my mother-in-law. It is similar to a Rocky Road, and is nothing short of addicting. I love this recipe not only for its ease but because it is a recipe that is a lot of fun! I added Smarties, marshmallows, and white chocolate to…
“A masterly and nuanced portrayal of hopeless love”, that’s how Irish National Opera describes Jules Massenet’s Werther, which the company will take on a nationwide tour during April and May 2023. But why am I mentioning Werther so far in advance? Well, Lyric Opera presents a fully staged single performance of the piece at the…
This was the question posed by presenter Ciara Kelly on Newstalk Breakfast last Friday. Her guests were journalist David Quinn of the Iona Institute, The Sunday Times and this paper, and Michael Nugent of Atheist Ireland – they have clashed in robust debate on many hot button topics over the years. We learned that they…
Pope Francis appoints personal health assistant The Vatican announced August 4 that Pope Francis has appointed a “personal health care assistant”. Pope Francis has selected Massimiliano Strappetti, a Vatican nurse whom the Pope has credited with saving his life, to provide additional assistance as the 85-year-old Pope faces mobility problems. “A nurse, a man with a…
Dear Editor, Yet another attack on Christianity in Ireland has thankfully been quashed due to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland’s correct decision not to accept a complaint about RTÉ’s broadcasting of popular Christmas carol O Holy Night [The Irish Catholic – July 28, 2022]. In their decision they say: “The broadcaster notes that it is…
Chai Brady
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Peter Costello
Ruadhán Jones
Brendan O’Regan