Phil Lenahan In word and deed, Pope Francis continues to encourage Catholics to reach out to the poor and not succumb to a consumerist mentality where what we have is deemed more important than who we are. The season of Lent provides a special opportunity to take the Holy Father’s words to heart and live…
Letter from Jerusalem Justin Robinson OSB Pilgrims who have walked Jerusalem’s Via Dolorosa will likely have visited the birthplace of the Virgin Mary at St Anne’s church, at the start of that hallowed route. The Crusader structure possess beauty in its noble simplicity, and it sits next to the Bethesda Pools where Jesus healed the…
Dear Editor, I am writing in response to Mary Kenny’s thought-provoking article on modern parenthood, particularly its emphasis on ‘positive parenting’ and the potential consequences thereof [The Irish Catholic – February 29, 2024]. As a grandmother reflecting on the evolution of child-rearing practices, I’m particularly interested in Ms Kenny’s pertinent questions about the impact of…
Our Constitution was not written by a male-pale-and-stale politician, unforgivably taller than Leo, and nor was it supervised by an archbishop notorious for almost always being “displeased”. It was written by great Irish lawyers. And, most importantly, it incorporated many protections for the citizens against the State. The decline and fall of the British Empire…
Brian Friel The Capuchin Day Centre for Homeless People is located on Bow Street in Dublin 7 at the rear of the Capuchin Friary on Church Street. It is an initiative of the Irish Capuchin Franciscan Friars who first came to Ireland in the early 1600’s and have stayed with and supported the Irish people…
Christians know the life of a disciple will not be easy. Christ did not mince words about this – telling his disciples they must take on life’s sufferings as in the form of capital punishment that would later be used to take his life: “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself…
Scott P. Richert Every year, for over 40 years now, I have given up watching TV for Lent. I know it’s no longer fashionable to give something up for Lent; instead, we are urged to ‘do something positive’, something that will make a difference in our spiritual life or (preferably, it seems) in the corporal…
Deacon Greg Kandra Incredibly, we’re already entering the third week of Lent. The ashes are a distant memory. We’ve gotten used to grilled cheese and Filet-o-Fish sandwiches on Fridays and we’ve mustered the self-control to resist having that chocolate bar at 3pm. Maybe we’ve settled into the rhythm of Lent and become used to it.…
Dear Editor, A USA lady bravely faced applause when she declared she sleeps with Bill Clinton every Christmas. She brought to mind people having a similar ‘durable relationship’ with our very own Taoisigh. All of this gains fresh relevance as our Government asks us to vote in a referendum, March 8. They say existing definition of…
For two or three days in January, a furry red muppet’s concern for the well-being of his followers became news, dominating Twitter, now “X”, and sparking discussions from National Public Radio to cable news. When the commotion died down, I was left thinking about how Ash Wednesday was very near and maybe this strange little…