Dear Editor, Recent statements by politicians regarding Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) are very revealing. In effect they are demanding that the Government devise a RSE programme which would be imposed on all schools, irrespective of the school’s values and ethos. I wonder how they would feel if the same logic were applied to politics, i.e.,…
Jesuits prepare to celebrate Ignatian Year The roughly 15,000 members of the Society of Jesus, their collaborators and many people who draw on the spiritual heritage left by St Ignatius of Loyola are preparing to mark a special Ignatian Year beginning May 20 and lasting until the saint’s feast day, July 31, 2022. Anticipating the…
Ennistymon Púca statue sidelined after criticism Plans to erect a púca statue in the Clare town of Ennistymon have been put on hold following criticism from local people, who described it as “grotesque and scary”. Clare County Council had proposed placing the six foot tall piece on a plinth at the end of Lower Church…
Everyone who has an interest in a peaceful transition to a more democratic Ireland ought to engage on unity, writes Fr Joe McVeigh Martin Mansergh, in his recent column in The Irish Catholic, argues that this is not the time to be talking about a border poll. I totally disagree with him. The Belfast/Good Friday agreement…
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has urged the US bishops to proceed with caution in their discussions about formulating a national policy “to address the situation of Catholics in public office who support legislation allowing abortion, euthanasia or other moral evils”. Cardinal Luis Ladaria, congregation prefect, reiterated what he said he had…
People should remember the contribution religious orders have made to Irish education and other services, according to ex-Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. Speaking on The Saint Patrick’s Podcast to Martina Purdy and Elaine Kelly, Mr Ahern spoke of the extensive religious presence in his native Drumcondra as he grew up. “In the area where I lived in…
Italian Cardinal Camillo Ruini has said that he is praying there will be no schism in Germany, as priests and bishops in the country announce their disagreement with a document from the Vatican saying the Church cannot bless same-sex unions. In a May 4 interview with the newspaper Il Foglio, Cardinal Ruini said: “I hope…
Priests and pastoral workers in Germany defied Pope Francis this week by conducting blessing ceremonies attended by same-sex couples. Organisers held a day of protest on Monday in response to the Vatican’s recent declaration that the Church does not have the power to bless same-sex unions. The ceremonies, known as Segnungsgottesdienste für Liebende, or ‘blessing services…
The return to public worship is welcome, but now is not the time for silence and inaction, writes Dr Philip Gonzales Are we now living in a health dictatorship and one that is targeting religious services and public worship? These questions can no longer be avoided. With the Primate of All-Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin, I…
President Joe Biden announced on May 3 he was raising the historically low refugee cap of 15,000 left by the Trump administration, but also warned that his administration may not be able to meet the new number of refugees it is seeking to resettle in what remains of the fiscal year: 62,500. In a statement,…