The pastoral style of Pope Francis’ has laid down the challenge for Ireland to go the peripheries, Bishop Paul Dempsey has said. Pope Francis celebrated the tenth anniversary of his election to papacy on Monday, March 13. The bishop of Achonry told The Irish Catholic that the Pope has “very profoundly reached out to the…
It is often said that we are our truest selves when we are happy, comfortable and surrounded by those we love and trust. During each of the nearly 30 trips I made with Pope Francis, there was always a memorable moment when his true self would come out to play. Early on, we would recognise…
One of the things that most hinders the Church in its mission and makes people reluctant to interact with it is the real presence of sin in those who profess to be Catholic. Every person walking the earth is a sinner, but those who claim to be adhering to the heights of goodness, truth and…
Here is a timeline of some significant events in Pope Francis’ pontificate: 2013, March 13: Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Argentina, is elected pope on the second day of the conclave becoming the first Pope from the Southern Hemisphere and the first non-European elected in almost 1,300 years. The Jesuit was also the…
Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said that his department will consider how best to “most effectively” continue Ireland’s work on freedom of religion and belief in light of the findings of the Church in Chains Global Guide’s contents and findings. Church in Chains recently launched their 4th Global Guide which lists 60 countries where 200 million Christians…
In documents issued during his first 10 years in office, Pope Francis covered topics as diverse as strengthening one’s Faith, evangelisation, caring for creation, accompanying families and young people, and respecting indigenous peoples. He wrote a major document on reforming the Roman Curia, three encyclicals and five apostolic exhortations. Here is a list of his…
Gina Christian Pope Francis has evoked both praise and protest for his outreach to LGBTQ persons during his decade-long papacy, as he has offered warmth and welcome while upholding the Catholic Church’s teaching on human sexuality. “My experience of Pope Francis has been hope-filled and also frustrating,” Dr Ish Ruiz, a gay theologian and post-doctoral…
Lights for the Path by John Sullivan (Veritas, €24.99/£22.20) John Sullivan was formerly Professor of Christian Education at Liverpool Hope University, of which he is now an emeritus professor. Hope University is a unique institution, formed out of three Victorian teachers’ training colleges in an ecumenical union which now prospers as a developing third level…
New York Times columnist David Brooks recently wrote an article about a lifelong friend who died by suicide. In describing his friend and his descent into a suicidal illness, Brooks sheds some needed light on how we still have a long ways to go in our understanding of suicide. (New York Times, February 9, 2023)…
A homeless charity has decried the fact 4,741 people were given notices to leave their rented accommodation in the summer of last year, following data provided by the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). The charity Depaul believes that while the Government’s decision to end the eviction ban should be reversed, now the consequences of the decision must…
Ruadhán Jones
Peter Costello
Fr Ronald Rolheiser