Utopia for Realists and How we Can Get There by Rutger Bergman (Bloomsbury, £8.99; can be ordered online for around €10.00) Christopher Moriarty At Easter, Pope Francis delivered a message endorsing the concept of the universal basic wage. This idea, whereby every individual receives a basic income from their government whether they are in employment…
The Bee’s Knees by James Morrissey (Currach Books, €19.99) Barbara Pierce The title comes from 1920s slang: “Bee’s knees – highly admired person or thing; Something excellent!” This all applies so well to James Morrissey’s tremendous book. As a long-time bee keeper in flowery south Dublin, I simply loved it and warmly recommend it to all.…
A marriage counsellor at Accord says she is “not surprised” that divorce rates have remained largely the same since last year’s referendum on the terms for divorce in Ireland. New data provided by the Courts Service to Culture Minister Josepha Madigan last week shows no major variation in the number of divorces being granted. Mary…
Pope advances new decrees for Causes of Saints Pope Francis has advanced the causes for canonisation of 12 holy men and women by authorising the publication of decrees recognising various miracles. The Holy Father also extended this action last week to the martyrdom of a missionary in El Salvador and a group of Cistercian monks.…
Showband legend Brendan Bowyer has been hailed as “a man of faith” who was “very friendly and very humble”. Brendan was 81 when he died last week in Las Vegas surrounded by his family. Fr Brian D’Arcy, who knew Brendan when he was a student, said: “We were friendly that long ago and we always…
Dear Editor, It was wonderful to read your front page [IC 28/05/2020] which describes how the bishops have produced an 88-point draft plan to bring the sacramental life of the Church back to the faithful. There have been so many people being negative, letting fear and blind obedience cloud their judgement rather than being productive.…
Free coding workshop for schoolchildren A three-day free coding workshop, facilitated by the Academy of Code and delivered online through Zoom will take place next week, with tickets available from Friday. It is organised by ‘Work Matters at the Library’ and is part of the South Dublin Creative Campus Programme. The event is for secondary…
Indian Catholics reject politician’s ‘baseless’ conversion claim Church leaders and activists have rejected a claim by a member of parliament from India’s Andhra Pradesh alleging that Christian missionaries use money for religious conversion. Raghu Ramkrishna Raju claimed in a television debate last week that Christian missionaries are pumping large sums of money to carry out…
EXCLUSIVE Michael Kelly and Chai Brady Vulnerable and older parishioners will be asked to stay home rather than attend Mass under a new draft plan being discussed by the hierarchy The Irish Catholic can reveal. The plan aims to ensure that all preparations are made so that churches are ready to move as soon as…
The abortion issue has largely shrunk from the national headlines, but it hasn’t gone away writes Eilís Mulroy Two years ago this week Article 40.3.3 of the Constitution, or the Eighth Amendment as it was known, was repealed by the Irish people. The referendum result was a cruel blow to unborn children, abolishing their…