The world is currently trying to come to grips with the recent death of the much-loved singer Glen Hansard after a motorcycle crash near the Wren’s Nest pub. I know how treacherous the roads around there are. I found this out the hard way myself, having had a car accident after coming out of The…
My journey with faith has been anything but simple. When I was younger, it came effortlessly. I attended Mass with my family every Sunday and on major holidays. I said my prayers in the mornings and before meals. But over time, these acts became routine, habits that I clung to and less about my connection…
A joint letter from UN human rights experts warning Nigerian officials of the heightened risk of violence against Christian women and girls in the country has been made public after the government failed to respond within 60 days. The June 1 letter cited attacks against Christian women and girls in northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt…
With Heritage Week running currently, it was good to see aspects of our spiritual heritage getting attention in the media. On Morning Ireland (RTÉ Radio 1, Friday) reporter Joe Caulfield spoke to some of the pilgrims on St Patrick’s Purgatory, Lough Derg, described as one of the oldest Christian pilgrimages, attracting pilgrims for over 1500…
I have a distinct disadvantage in writing about the new IMAX version of The Odyssey, for I actually studied the Greek original at school. We had on our course over some six years the works of Herodotus, Xenophon, Thucydides, and others. Not mind you the whole of The Odyssey, but only Book VI, which in the…
As Pope Benedict XVI once said, “The art of music, [is] uniquely called to instil hope in the human spirit, so scarred and sometimes wounded by the earthly condition,” a group of over-55s gathers in Fingal to sing together, play games and share life stories. The Irish Catholic joined one of the meetings, named ‘Sunshine…
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is calling for “compassion, simplicity, and access to care” to be reflected in the final rule that enforces work requirements for people who receive Medicaid benefits. The USCCB — along with the Catholic Health Association and Catholic Charities USA — sent a joint letter to the Centres for Medicare &…
The Men and Women of the Anglo-Irish Treaty Delegations 1921, edited by Fiona Murray and Eda Sagarra (Laurelmount Press, €16.99 / £14.99) The Anglo-Irish Treaty 1921 is the name given to the “Articles of Agreement for a Treaty between Great Britain and Ireland 6 December 1921”. This book provides a detailed account of the two…
The Complete Beekeeper, by Gabriel Wilson OSB (Gracewing £20.00 / €23.50) There is a mysterious quietness in the air when one approaches a beehive – an almost sacred stillness, despite the low drone of countless wings in sunlit activity. It’s the grace of a paradox. The beekeeper moves slowly, deliberately, as if stepping into an…
As a Catholic mother raising children in a world that often feels at odds with my faith, I frequently encounter a tension that seems almost impossible to resolve. I want to protect my family’s hearts and minds, to shield them from influences that contradict our beliefs and values. Yet, I am also deeply aware of…
Aubrey Malone
Brendan O’Regan
Peter Costello
Renata Steffens