Dear Editor, The issue of Irish prisoners not being able to attend Mass, highlighted on your front page [IC 03/06/2021], is most serious. Although some of these people may be behind bars for serious criminal offences, this does not mean that their constitutional rights can so easily and wrongly be taken from them – particularly…
Skellig Michael to reopen this month Sceilg Mhichíl (Skellig Michael) is set to welcome visitors back this month, with a target date of June 21 for reopening the island off the Kerry coast. Office of Public Works crews are currently working on-site to prepare the popular destination for the reopening date, doing preparatory health and…
German Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising has submitted his resignation to Pope Francis, saying that bishops must begin to accept responsibility for the institutional failures of the church in handling the clerical sexual abuse crisis. Cardinal Marx (67) released a statement on Friday and, with the Pope’s permission, a copy of the letter…
With just weeks to go, organisers of this year’s ‘Rally for Life’ have revealed details of the weekend plan including a free screening of the movie Voiceless. This year the event will take place from July 1-4, and while the normal large gathering in Dublin will not take place due to Covid-19 restrictions a number…
As has become traditional at the June public holiday, Bishop Fintan Monahan has asked parishes across the country to pray for safety on the roads. As more people travel due to the holiday, the Bishop of Killaloe will also lead a ‘blessing of the roads’ ceremony in Co. Clare on Saturday. In a statement, Dr…
The Archbishop of San Francisco has publicly supported Denver Archbishop Aquila’s response to the German bishops’ “synodal path”, which he said advances “untenable” views of the Church. In his open letter dated May 13, Archbishop Samuel Aquila of Denver had warned about the fundamental text produced by the first forum of the German Catholic Synodal…
A special section of the archive of the Shrine of Fatima reveals the intimate relationship between the Faithful and Our Lady, writes António Marujo A sheet of paper, handwritten, with a short message, in Portuguese: “You know who I am. There is no need to describe my person…” Another sheet of paper, completely blank. Some…
The Covid-19 pandemic took a toll on participation in religious services just as it did on workplaces, but a new survey indicates strong emotional resilience from those who consider their faith vital to their existence. That was part of the findings of a survey conducted late last year of 1,600 adults, mostly from Washington, Maryland…
A “perfect storm” of problems awaits families as the pandemic supports and protections are wound down, the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) has warned. A lack of “joined up thinking” on the removal of the moratorium on energy disconnections and evictions, and the ending of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) in the coming months will…
Simone Weil for the Twenty-First Century by Eric O. Springsted (University of Notre Dame Press, US$35.00 pb/£25.00 pb) The Subversive Simone Weil: A life in five ideas by Robert Zaretsky (University of Chicago Press, US$20.00 hb/£16.00 hb) Frank Litton What theologians, philosophers, public intellectuals who hold centre-stage today will still be highly regarded and their work studied 80…