Those who challenge modern certainties are “taken to the edge of the cliff”, the Abbot of Glenstal said in a homily at Trinity College Dublin (TCD), encouraging openness to all knowledge in education at a time when free-speech debates rage on college campuses. Fr Brendan Coffey OSB also railed against the “irrational fear” behind a…
I hope Dr Hilary Cass wins in the battle for children’s bodies, writes Dualta Roughneen The response to the Cass Report in the UK must be strikingly familiar to people in Ireland. The Cass Report, a lengthy and in-depth review, led by Dr Hilary Cass, aimed to “ensure that children and young people who are…
Hundreds of protestors gathered outside the RDS on Saturday as women’s rights group The Countess held a conference highlighting the impact of ‘gender ideology’ on Irish society. As protestors shouted “shame on you”, some attendees reported being spat on as they tried to enter the conference. One attendee mentioned how she had to enter through the…
Two young saints set to be canonised in 2025, Blesseds Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis, can bring young Irish people to God, an Irish priest involved in saints’ canonisation causes has said. While most people think of saints as being older or from centuries ago, Blessed Pier Giorgio – who died age 24 –…
Most politicians are dancing down the road to assisted dying with talk of meaningless ‘safeguards’, writes Michael Kelly On Monday of this week, the British parliament discussed the issue of euthanasia. The House of Commons heard passionate pleas from many MPs calling for people to be allowed to end their lives in a way that…
With the release of the comprehensive GRACE report (Global Researchers Advancing Catholic Education) assessing the realities facing Catholic education in Ireland just a week after the Teacher’s Union (INTO) called for the removal of the religious education qualification to teach in Catholic schools, it almost feels that when it comes to education in this country…
Dr Amalee Meehan Religious Education (RE) internationally and in this country, is considered a key expression of Catholic school ethos and identity. In Ireland, as enshrined in the Education Act of 1988, it is the responsibility of the school patron. A new in-depth study uncovers a mixed bag of results about the reality of RE…
Muslim extremists set on fire several homes of Christians in Minya, a province in southern Egypt, in a continuation of anti-Christian violence less than two weeks before Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter. According to The New Arab, when anti-Christian fanatics failed to dispossess Christians of their homes in retribution for attempting to build a church in…
Dr Catherine McCormack My first observation on the GRACE project’s reports is the worrying number of stakeholders who report that they received no training for their roles in Catholic schools; and of those who received training, generally it was once-off or less often than yearly. Also concerning is the fact that of those who received…
Last October the South East Technological University (SETU) launched their ‘Gender Identity and Expression Policy’. But lecturer Colette Colfer, a lecturer in world religions questioned the document’s impacts on compelling speech and policing language. One of her concerns was that the policy maintained that a refusal to use preferred pronouns was an example of “unlawful…
Ruadhán Jones
Renata Steffens
Michael Kelly
Wendy Grace