It is very good to be part of a rejoicing Church. I have been privileged over the last two weekends to attend ordination ceremonies – one in Westminster diocese in England, and one in my home diocese of Down and Connor. Dedicated At a time when there is so much talk of the problems and…
Fr Shaun Doherty, a former radio host who gave up his chatshow to give his life to God, was ordained a priest for Derry diocese on July 2. The priest was one of Ireland’s most popular radio hosts, spending 30 years on the airwaves for Donegal’s Highland Radio. Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown ordained Fr…
Susan Hines-Brigger Ten years ago, I travelled to Assisi, Italy, on pilgrimage, to follow in the footsteps of St Francis. For days, we immersed ourselves in the words and actions of St Francis throughout his life. Of all the moments that resonated with me, though, there was one story that seemed especially challenging – both…
A special Oireachtas committee on ‘assisted dying’ has been holding public hearings for the last four weeks. The task before it is to consider whether or not Ireland should introduce assisted suicide for people who are terminally ill and nearing the end of their lives. It is clear from listening to the members of the committee,…
Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki plans to take legal action after investigators searched his residence and other buildings of the Archdiocese of Cologne June 27, the KNA news agency reported “What bothers us is not the raid, but that the information and the date appear to have been leaked to the media,” Cardinal Woelki’s lawyer, Bjoern…
The Vatican vetoed the appointment of a new dean at a seminary in Northern Italy, citing concerns over the appointee’s views on sexual morality diverging from the Church’s teachings. On June 26, the Philosophical-Theological College in Bressanone (PTH Brixen), announced that Fr Martin Lintner, OSM, had been chosen to serve as dean for the term…
‘Irish Explorers of the Jordan Rift Valley and the Euphrates Valley in the 1830s: Scientific Adventure and Imperialism’, in George Moore: Dublin, Paris, Hollywood, by Haim Goren, edited by Conor Montague and Adrian Frazier (Irish Academic Press, €26.99 pb/ €44.99 hb) I was recently given this book as a present from someone who knew…
Sofia Zate On June 30, Sr Mary Tighe celebrated her oak jubilee, ringing in 80 years in the Congregation of the Sisters of St John of God. She also celebrated her 100th birthday on the 14th of the same month. When I spoke to Sr Mary, she sounded grateful as she recalled her, not one…
As I write, it’s the great Roman feast of Ss Peter and Paul, the patron saints of the Eternal City. The double feast is of ancient origin, but the link between the two saints has taken on even greater significance with the modern papacy. It was the late Pope John Paul II who once said…
This year’s Rally for Life saw thousands gather in Dublin to “hold the Government to account for the spiralling abortion rate”, as the large crowd filled O’Connell Street on Saturday, July 1. A Rally for Life spokesperson called for the three-day wait before abortion to be retained and criticised a Dáil bill seeking to legalise…
Nuala O’Loan
Ruadhán Jones
David Quinn
Peter Costello
John L. Allen Jr.