Recently Dr Peter Cherry retired from his post as a long time lecturer on the history of art in Trinity College. Among his other activities there was directing a seminar for final-year students on “Art and Religion in the Hispanic world”. Of essential assistance to his teaching programme at all levels was the nearby presence in…
Communal Discernment: A Lamp for our Synodal Journey by Michael Bach and Esdac Tea, edited and with an introduction by Brian Grogan SJ (Messenger Publications, €14.95 / £12.95) I am inclined to think that the Synodal process is as significant event in the history of the Church as was the Second Vatican Council. The Council was…
So much of what is on TV is froth, trivia and superficiality, so it’s good to see a programme that goes deeper. The Meaning of Life (RTÉ One, Sunday) returned for a new season last weekend, when the first guest was Sinead Burke, disability rights campaigner, businesswoman, fashion guru and teacher. It was an…
Sexual abuse in the ranks of the Catholic Church is so preoccupying Belgian society that thousands of people are turning away – by being “de-baptised”. In Belgium, more than 14,000 people turned their backs on the Catholic Church in 2023 – more than ever before. This was announced by the Church in a recent annual…
The Mole of Vatican Council II: The True Story of “Xavier Rynne”, by Richard A. Zmuda (Acta Books, US$ 29.95; available online through Amazon.us) Looking back the death of Pius XII, the election of Pope John XXIII, and the calling of the Vatican Council II were momentous events of the first order which still…
The Sunday Gospel Jer 31:7-9 Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6 Heb 5:1-6 Mk 10:46-52 Like so much of the gospels, Jesus’ encounter with a blind beggar this Sunday boils down to one simple question: “What do you want me to do for you?” If we met Jesus along the road, would we be able to…
What is a Co-PP? The question posed in two separate editions of The Irish Catholic over recent weeks has certainly caught the attention of priests, judging from the feedback I have received from all over Ireland. Many priests, it seems, find themselves appointed as Co-PPs and know little about what that means. One who ministers in a…
The Primate of All Ireland has said he is “alarmed” by the ongoing debates around school SPHE textbooks and training which include controversial lessons around gender ideology and sexuality, adding the Church has not approved the use of these resources. Speaking exclusively to The Irish Catholic Archbishop Eamon Martin has said that no SPHE (Social Personal and Health Education) or RSE…
In advance of the Final Report of the Joint Committee on Assisted Dying discussion, which takes place in the Dáil today, representatives from both politics and the Church, including Archbishop Eamon Martin, called on people to either “seek commitments” from TDs and senators or alternatively “lobby their politicians now and in the run up to…
A Catholic Career Summit will be held for the first time in Dublin on October 26 and will feature a range of speakers covering both professional and faith-oriented topics, including debate, business showcases, and plenty of time for discussion. The summit was organised in response to a gap in the professional world for Catholics to…
Peter Costello
Brendan O’Regan
Chai Brady
Brandon Scott
Renata Milán Morales