South Korea’s Constitutional Court has ruled an abortion ban in the country to be unconstitutional, receiving mixed responses from Korean citizens. Seven of the nine justices on the court voted to repeal the law on April 11, ordering it to be revised by 2020. Two of the justices dissented. The law, which was established in…
With the announcement that persecuted Christian Asia Bibi is to be released from Pakistan in a matter of weeks, a prominent human rights charity has said there should be no assumptions made about her safety until she is in a secure country. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan told journalists last week that Ms Bibi, who…
Saintly Feasts: Food for Saints and Scholars by Martina Maher & Colette Scully, with Dries van den Akker SJ (Messenger Publications, €19.95 / £17.50) Mary Litton This is a lovely book by two charming and talented ladies, one in her 90s, who undertook to cook Sunday lunch for a Jesuit community in England. Those familiar with…
Catholic and Orthodox leaders have condemned the bulldozing of memorial crosses at a site of communist-era mass executions. Media reports said at least 15 protesters were arrested in early April when police cordoned off an area of the Kuropaty Forest, outside Minsk in Belarus and bulldozers moved in to demolish about 70 15-foot crosses, which…
Pope kneels and begs before Sudanese leaders At the end of a highly unusual spiritual retreat for the political leaders of warring factions, Pope Francis knelt at the feet of the leaders of South Sudan, begging them to give peace a chance and to be worthy “fathers of the nation”. “As a brother, I ask you to remain in peace. I…
The Heart is a Noisy Room by Dr Ronald Boyd-MacMillan (Hodder, £9.99) The author is a Christian activist who has had an extremely varied life, but always one engaged with getting in touch with people and telling them about the “good news”. In his third book he focuses on those inner voices which we all have,…
Personal Profile Hannah Harn Before retiring in 2015, Trócaire volunteer Tony Devlin did not think he had the time to serve his community, even though he wanted to. “I suppose all through the years I was interested in [volunteering],” said Tony. “It’s a responsibility that all of us who are lucky enough to live…
Dear Editor, It almost felt as if Easter has come a week early with this week’s copy of your paper (IC 11/4/2019). Fr Martin Browne’s article on ‘Getting the most from the Easter Triduum’ spelled out perfectly just what we’ve been building up to these last few Lenten weeks and reminding us that we can…
The Notebook Fr Vincent Sherlock It must have been a strange day. Early morning finds women on their way to the tomb. The Friday rush did not allow time for the decencies around burial to be observed and, in haste, Jesus was laid to rest. The stone was rolled into place and people moved…
Archbishop ‘humbled’ over papal appointment Archbishop Eamon Martin has said he is “humbled” that Pope Francis has appointed him as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Dromore, which took immediate effect on April 15. “I am humbled by Pope Francis’ request and grateful for his confidence in me. It will be an honour for me to serve the people,…