Recent books in brief

Saint Ignatius of Loyola: A Convert’s Story by Patrick Corkery (Messenger Booklets, €4.95/£4.50) From this month through July 2022 the Society of Jesus celebrates an Ignation year. This marks the 500th anniversary of St Ignatius’ ‘conversion’. He had been struck down on the field of battle and was confined to his bed, recovering from a cannonball…

Do we have to reinvent the wheel for our synod?

Dear Editor, One wonders what is going to progress the synodal pathway from the hierarchy’s invitation to conversations about holding conversations to Breda O’Brien’s notion of “active connection?” [IC 06/05/2021] Do we have to reinvent wheels in a synodal pathway when strong examples of pockets of Catholic renewal already exist elsewhere in Europe? Can we…

In Brief

Man charged in 2020 arson at Californian church Authorities announced charges against a suspected arsonist who investigators believe ignited an overnight fire that gutted much of Mission San Gabriel last July. Officials charged John David Corey Jr, 57, with a number of felony counts of arson, as well as possession of flammable material and first-degree…

Family News

Malian mother gives birth to nonuplets A Malian woman has given birth to nine babies, which is two more than the doctors had detected during scans. 25-year-old Halima Cisse gave birth to the nonuplets in Morocco. Mali’s government flew her there as she required specialist care. “I’m very happy,” her husband told the BBC. “My…

Gianna Care sees surge in people seeking post-abortion assistance

Crisis pregnancy organisation Gianna Care has reported an increase in clients looking for post-abortion care, with some describing the experience as “very, very traumatic”. Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Gianna Care director Carolyn O’Meara said that they recently received 10 contacts in one week from clients who found the experience more difficult than “they expected…

Awakening to the meaning of ‘woke’

We are witnessing an irrational demand for the endless purging of sin from the body politic, writes Kingsley Jones If you are reading this then you are concerned about ‘wokism’, about the fact that the tone of our political and social disagreements is growing ever more strident, that we seem to be on the verge…