It is that time of year again. Or rather, it is one of those times of year again, where I rail against the appropriation of Ireland’s Christian heritage by elements who co-opt religious Feast Days for secular enjoyment. We are becoming accustomed – inured almost – to the annual attempts to re-cast Christmas as a…
For our new series on priests and the challenges in their busy lives, Garry O’Sullivan sat down for an exclusive interview with Fr Ron Rolheiser speaking on this topic. Fr Rolheiser, could you speak a little bit about the state of priesthood, the challenges for priests these days? “Well, one of the big challenges is…
What is a sin? Is it a sin to not go to church on Sunday? Is it a sin to cheat on your taxes? Is it a sin to get drunk? Is holding a grudge a sin? Is masturbation a sin? Is infidelity in marriage a sin? For too long preachers, catechists, Sunday school teachers,…
The band played The Battle Hymn of the Republic, as the culture wars exploded at Donald Trump’s inauguration in Washington last week. “We will forge a society that is colour blind and merit-based,” the American President declared, as he announced an end to government policies which try to socially engineer race and gender into every…
Society has lost touch with the importance of the family. In a world increasingly driven by individualism, the community once nurtured by family networks has faded, leaving behind a sense of “fragility and isolation,” explained Vincenzo Bassi speaking to The Irish Catholic. The president of the Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe (FAFCE) and…
When thinking about the nationality of chaplains to foreign communities, it is usually assumed they are a native from that community’s country, however, this is not the case with the Brazilian Chaplaincy in Cork. Fr Bernard Morawski OFMCap is a Polish priest who worked with Spanish speakers for many years and today says Mass…
‘My two priest uncles were a great example of the Faith and priesthood,’ Gary Brennan tells Chai Brady Gary Brennan, Clare GAA stalwart and respected secondary school teacher, has warned that social media poses one of the greatest challenges to young people today. In a wide-ranging interview with The Irish Catholic, he shared how his…
The events marked at Auschwitz last Monday (for Holocaust Memorial Day) were a sombre international reminder of the terrible death camps maintained by the Nazi regime. We will be seeing more of such anniversaries this year, notably in April, recalling the liberation of Bergen-Belsen, whose revelations really shocked the world. There is now a large…
The Feast for St Brigid is celebrated this Saturday, February 1 with a bank holiday on February 3. Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin Denis Nulty said “it’s critically important” to officially have the Kildare saint celebrated with a bank holiday. This is the third year the bank holiday will take place, and for Bishop Nulty,…
Man occupies a unique place in creation: he is ‘in the image of God’; in his own nature he unites the spiritual and material worlds; he is created ‘male and female’; God established him in his friendship. Of all visible creatures only, man is “able to know and love his creator”. He is “the only creature…
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Martina Purdy
Renata Milán Morales
Renata Steffens
Chai Brady
Mary Kenny