The People’s Celebration of the Eucharist, by Fintan Lyons OSB (Messenger Publications, €12.95 / £10.95) When it comes to the Eucharist, some of the toughest question are the simplest: who celebrates the Eucharist and what are they celebrating?” Fintan Lyons’ little book examines this basic question: just who are we when we celebrate the Eucharist?…
The Philippines madehistory on April 27, Divine Mercy Sunday, by becoming the first nation in the world to consecrate itself entirely to Jesus through divine mercy. While African bishops consecrated their continent to divine mercy in 2016, the Philippines is the first individual country to take this step. Fr James Cervantes of the Marians of…
The Glens of Antrim are renowned for a few things. Its breathtaking volcanic emerald scenery, the world-famous Giant’s Causeway and, above all else, one of the finest hurling strongholds in Ireland. Yet, few are as celebrated or revered as the towering figure of Terence ‘Sambo’ McNaughton. A legendary name of the game that has become…
There’s a very catchy jingle that was repeated over and over again on radio commercials and ringtones during the recent Islamic holy month: “Ramadan fi masr haga tanya,” meaning something like “Ramadan in Egypt is something else.” It was certainly true, and the same might be said for the celebration of Easter which is about…
John Mulderig From the moment of his election in early 2013, Pope Francis naturally became one of the world’s most newsworthy individuals. But it was especially in the latter half of his pontificate that he proved an intriguing figure for moviemakers. Both documentarians and the creators of feature films were drawn to him over that…
Beauty will save the world, and the Church too: Portuguese Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, until now (in Bergoglio’s pontificate) Prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for culture and education, truly believes this. Beauty, says and expresses the 60-year-old cardinal in his vision and pastoral praxis, will save the Church in its relationship with the world,…
A Benedictine monk shared this story with me. During his early years in religious life, he had been resentful because he was required to ask permission from his abbott if he wanted anything: “I thought it was silly, me, a grown man, an adult, having to ask a superior if I wanted a new shirt.…
H.M.S TARA, by Richard Burnell, edited by Gareth Rowlands (Holyhead Maritime Museum, £7.95 / €9.50 approx.) The RMS Leinster, an Irish ship operating as a mail-boat, was torpedoed by a German U-boat on October 10, 1918, while outward bound for Holyhead. She sank some 4 nautical miles off the Kish Lightship. The exact number…
The World Council of Churches (WCC) has expressed deep sorrow and concern over the tragic loss of civilian lives in a recent drone strike in Gedeb, Amhara region, Ethiopia, on April 23, 2025. More than 100 civilians, including women and children, were killed while attending a community gathering at a primary school. This attack adds…
‘Man and woman he created them’, the Bible tells us. And now it seems that the UK Supreme Court agrees. Last Wednesday, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the terms ‘women’ and ‘sex’ in the UK Equality Act refer to biological – and not legal – sex in the landmark case For Women Scotland brought against Scottish…
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Peter Costello