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THE BEEHIVE – Faith formation for all
Month: November 2026
Letters to the Editor: Secularism in France and Ireland, careful listening, and our 1916 heroes
The importance of careful listening Dear Editor, Fr Andrew McMahon deserves congratulation and gratitude for his incisive article on the Irish Synodal Pathway (October 15). At the outset, he rightly acknowledges the efforts of all serving on the working groups which produced the proposals discussed at Gormanstown. While certain aspects of the representation might fairly…
Discovering the existence of God and His ultimate gift of grace
One of the most pervasive and pernicious lies of the modern era bears reference to the nature of faith. By many today faith is unthinkingly taken to be blind belief in God in the face of an obvious lack of evidence, or even in the face of evidence to the contrary. Yet this is not…
An eclipse of light, a promise of resurrection
Fr Barry WhiteThe light began to fade, and the cathedral was touched by a gradual darkness. Outside, a solar eclipse was unfolding; inside, the words of Luke’s Gospel seemed to come alive: “And the sun was eclipsed” (Luke 23:45). It was the evening of August 12 this year, around 6.45 p.m., and I was presiding at prayers…
All the saints of Ireland and the need for more of them
Thomas Merton, the great American spiritual writer of the last century, told the story of a conversation with a friend that changed his life. His friend asked him one day what he would like to be in life. Merton answered: “A good Catholic”. His friend reminded him that his desire was too narrow and too…
Blessed are the peacemakers: Jesus the peacemaker in Luke’s Gospel
Jesus blesses peacemakers, commands his followers to love their enemies, and challenges them to respond to injustice without resorting to violence. But what about Jesus’ own ministry? What does Jesus actually do to bring about peace? Luke’s Gospel provides some insightful answers. Peace announced The Gospel writer uses canticles (songs) inserted into the stories of…
Don’t be foolish! The wisdom of being ready
Fr Dominik Domagala
Mass Readings: Wisdom 6:12-16 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Matthew 25:1-13 Don’t be foolish!” is an expression most of us have heard from our parents, teachers or someone trying to prevent us from making an avoidable mistake. Yet, when Scripture speaks of foolishness, it is not necessarily referring to a lack of intelligence. A person may…
Double tragedy hits gallant mountain skier
Aubrey Malone
English mountaineer George Mallory was once asked why he wanted to climb Mount Everest. He replied tartly, “Because it’s there.” As well as performing heroics for the Mayo football team, my fellow Ballina native Padraig O’Hora scaled it earlier this year. “No matter what you do or don’t do in your life,” he said, “They…
Democracy, biased journalism, and the evils of antisemitism
Brendan O’Regan
At a time when democracy often seems under threat, it’s good to see election fever in the air. Recently happened, happening currently or happening soon, we see elections in Serbia, Brazil, Israel, USA and Spain. Media coverage of the elections has thrown up more than a fair share of oddness. In Serbia it seemed a…
The voyage of the Catalpa: the remarkable Fenian rescue mission ‘down-under’
Catalpa: The Epic Story of the Greatest Prison Rescue in Irish History, by Michael B. Barry (Gill Books, €24.99/£23.99) The Catalpa was a whaling vessel built in 1844 and bought for $5,250 by Clann na Gael for the rescue of six Fenians from a prison settlement in Freemantle, near Perth, in Western Australia. The…