Irish theologian and academic Fr Eugene Duffy has called for wide-ranging reform in the Catholic Church, with a strong focus on leadership and the way bishops are appointed. Delivering a lecture titled ‘The Need for Ecclesial Reform’ recently in Trinity College, he said the Synodal Assembly had made clear that the People of God want “a…
To mark the canonisation of St Carlo Acutis, the first Millenium saint, and the lay Dominican St Pier Giorgio Frassati, parishioners around Ireland gathered for Mass, celebrations and processions on September 7. Additionally, Irish parishioners were among thousands who made the journey to Rome to watch Pope Leo canonise the young men in St Peter’s…
The Lumen Dominican Centre nestled on the Sion Hill Campus in the heart of Blackrock, Co. Dublin is a hive of educational activity for adults of all ages. Lumen advocates for lifelong learning and human flourishing in a spirit of community through the ethos of the Dominican sisters. It is committed to the dialogue between…
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). On Sunday last, the Church invited us to rejoice as two young men, St Carlo Acutis and St Pier Giorgio Frassati were declared saints. Born in different centuries, they lived very different lives, Carlo with computers and technology, Pier Giorgio with mountains and…
Decades ago, when British soldiers patrolled staunchly republican areas of Belfast, some received a rather unexpected blessing from a local woman who lived in Ardoyne. Whenever this devout Catholic spotted a soldier lying in an alleyway on patrol, she would open her handbag, and take out a bottle of holy water, along with her most…
Last year, Ireland held two referendums which our political leaders, aided and abetted by most of our media, have been very keen to forget about. One was on so-called ‘durable relationships’. No-one could quite say what these were, but ‘durable relationships’ were to be given marriage-like status. Voters worried they were being asked to buy…
Conversation overheard: “Are you going to see the new Downton Abbey film, when it opens this week?” “Oh yes! We’re booked for Sunday.” “Complete tosh!” “I’m sure it will be absolute nonsense! But the gorgeous costumes and posh interiors are just the kind of fluffy entertainment that helps us escape the dreadful realities of the…
I started writing this piece while Gena Heraty remained kidnapped in Haiti, and better judgment of the editorial team meant that it was put on hold as we waited and prayed that she and her colleagues would be released safe and unharmed. Thankfully, that day has come to pass, after almost a month in captivity.…
The annual Dublin Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes departed on Thursday, September 4 from Dublin Airport with 109 sick pilgrims from parishes all across the Archdiocese. Archbishop Dermot Farrell led the five-day pilgrimage, accompanied by Bishop Donal Roche on his first time to Lourdes as an auxiliary bishop with the Dublin pilgrimage. The pilgrimage group included…
Saints are in the news recently, most especially Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis, recently canonised by Pope Leo. I grew up immediately after the Second Vatican Council, and one of the sad things about that time was that devotion to the saints was de-emphasised. I do not think that this was faithful to the…
Martina Purdy
David Quinn
Mary Kenny