Knock was always part of Fr Richard Gibbons’s life, even before it became his work. Growing up in Mayo, his family came each year – mum, dad, six children and, sometimes, his grandfather – everyone piling into a small minibus. This was the 1970s, when the Basilica itself was newly built. “My memory of it,…
Catholic activists are accusing Mexico’s Supreme Court of judicial activism when it comes to expanding access to abortion in the Latin American nation. Over the past few months, the Supreme Court has handed down a series of major rulings aimed at ensuring broad access to abortion services for pregnant women in Mexico. Pro-life advocates in…
Most Christian denominations do not believe in purgatory. This is specifically a Roman Catholic belief. And in the popular Catholic mind, purgatory is too often mistakenly conceived of as a place distinct from heaven, a place where you are purified and made ready for heaven. But purgatory is not a place distinct from heaven and…
The Dominican Prior for the Province of Ireland has criticised difficulties surrounding visas for foreign Dominicans coming to study in Ireland. In this paper, Fr John Harris OP has said that Irish rules are very “restrictive”. Fr Harris is currently assisting a student with his needed documentation to study in the State; however, “because he…
A potential visit by Pope Leo XIV to Ukraine could make a significant contribution to international efforts to end the war and achieve a lasting peace, Ukraine’s ambassador to the Holy See said. “We are absolutely sure that his possible visit would be a great input into the process of reaching peace there,” Ambassador Andrii…
World Friendship Day, celebrated on July 30, invited us to pause and give thanks for one of God’s greatest gifts: the people who have walked beside us on the journey of life. A while back, my wonderful family treated me to an evening at the musical Wicked. They know me well enough to realise that…
Q: What is the current situation with marriages and the SSPX? I have heard different things about whether or not weddings at SSPX chapels are valid. A: From the time of Pope Francis’ pontificate, there was a fairly limited pathway for a valid Catholic wedding ceremony in chapels of the Society of St Pius X,…
The habit of millions of Filipinos to play violent video games online could have long-term consequences for their mental condition, especially that of young people. Some experts say it is very likely that such games can cause emotional and psychological problems, while others disagree, claiming there are no negative effects. But research from the American…
It was Palm Sunday, 2019 and the words from Luke’s Gospel were echoing in the heart of the Cavan priest. “Into your hands, O Lord…” The following day he would celebrate requiem Mass for a relative – before heading to Dublin to meet the Papal Nuncio. In his forty years as a priest in Kilmore…
From Memory to Understanding: A Study of the Christian Brothers in Ireland 1922-1970, by Tom O’Donoghue (Gracewing, UK, 2026) This is an important book on the long history of the Christian Brothers. It attempts to tell the whole story about their creation, spread and effects here in Ireland and indeed abroad, from their foundation…
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Renata Steffens
Martina Purdy