P. Fintan Lyons O.S.B. Lent is not likely to be anyone’s favourite season. There is enough to contend with in the weather of February and March, even if the days towards the end are brighter and there are signs of growth in an already resurgent nature. The most perceptible positive feature of the passing…
First meeting between China and Vatican for 70 years A first meeting between The Holy See and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) since 1951 took place in Germany on February 14. Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States, met with PRC State Councillor and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi,…
An Irish Benedictine monk is showcasing his huge oil-on-canvas painting of Mary at an exhibition in Canada during the month of February. Emmaus O’Herlihy’s painting of Mary, called Red Magnificat, pictures her as both indigenous and almost young enough to be called a child. His painting is in Toronto’s Regis College as part of an exhibition called…
With the current archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, sending his resignation to Pope Francis on his birthday in just over a month, April 8, The Irish Catholic looks at some likely contenders in the search for a new leader. Bishop of Ossory Dermot Farrell – ‘The Manager’ As a former President of Maynooth College…
Dear Editor, Many people are uncomfortable with clapping during Mass. Cardinal Francis Arinze said: “When we come to Mass, we don’t come to clap. We don’t come to watch people, to admire people. We want to adore God, to thank Him, to ask Him pardon for our sins, and to ask Him for what we…
Christopher Moriarty Woven Shades of Green: An anthology of Irish nature literature by Tim Wenzell (Bucknell University Press / distributed by Rutgers University Press, $US29.95/£24.95) As one of the many writers on Irish nature who is not included in this anthology, I have to declare an interest. The preface indicates that the omission…
Catholic Bishop in China overcomes coronavirus A retired priest in China has made a remarkable recovery from the coronavirus just days after being diagnosed with the epidemic. Bishop Joseph Zhu Baoyu of Nanyang, who is 98 years old, fell ill with pneumonia from Covid-19 on February 3. On February 12 he tested negative, but two…
We CAN all do it For anyone with children on the Autism Spectrum living near Wexford, Cottage Autism Newtork (CAN) hosts many different events that parents, kids or the whole family can attend. Over the next few weeks they have coding classes, teen bowling, soccer, brick play time and more. There are also some coffee…
Seán Cassin The Irish Embassy in Hanoi has an incisive and challenging comment on its website about Vietnam’s economy. It reads “high rates of malnutrition are often masked by impressive economic development. In Vietnam, stunting still affects almost one in four children, and among ethnic minority groups this reaches almost 40%.” I read on…
Catholic bishops from around the world are calling on the Cameroon government to hold urgent peace talks with the country’s English-speaking separatists and moderates. Church leaders are urging the country’s president, Paul Biya, to enter into negotiations to find a peaceful settlement that addresses the grievances of the Anglophone community. A Swiss NGO has offered…