Be open to the good, regardless of origin – Pope Pope Francis has advised people to be open to the good, regardless of whether it comes from someone outside their own “circle”. The Pope reflected, during his Angelus address in St Peter’s Square, September 30, on the day’s Gospel, in which Christ taught his disciples humility and to avoid scandal. When the disciples objected…
Soldiering Against Subversion: The Irish Defence Forces and internal security during the Troubles, 1969-1998 by Dan Harvey (Merrion Press, €19.99) Joe Carroll The role of the Defence Forces (the army, naval service, and air corps) in ensuring that the Troubles in Northern Ireland did not spill over into the Republic and undermine the stability of the…
Tens of thousands of people are expected to pray the Rosary at hundreds of locations around Ireland this weekend. Organisers of the Rosary on the Coast hope between 30,000 and 50,000 people will participate in gatherings on Sunday, October 7, at over 300 locations throughout the country, mostly on the coast but also in churches,…
A ‘novel’ festival idea For writing fiends and imaginative thinkers, this October the ‘Dalkey Creates Writing Festival’ will give aspiring writers the opportunity to improve their craft and help them on the difficult journey to being published. The festival offers writing courses from published authors in an encouraging and supportive environment. There will also be…
Dear Editor, The article by Fr Martin Delaney ‘Is it really unacceptable to label suicide as ‘wrong’?’ (IC 27/9/2018) is both sensitive and honest. It reveals the pain and bewilderment of individuals, families, the community and the local priest, in the aftermath of three suicides. It raises a really important question on whether it is…
Pope Francis has expelled from the priesthood a Chilean who gained notoriety for sexually abusing young men in his parish. The Vatican announced that Fernando Karadima was dismissed from the clerical state by the Pope, who “made this exceptional decision in conscience and for the good of the Church”. Citing canon law, the Vatican said…
A disability-activist group are calling on legislators to ensure that abortion on disability grounds is “outlawed” in Ireland, by making an amendment to the current abortion bill. Disability Voices for Life, which represents more than 100 parents and people living with disabilities, have appealed to Simon Harris to amend the bill. Otherwise, they say “their…
Courtney Grogan Pope Francis began the Synod on young people today with a homily calling for the Holy Spirit to renew hope and dynamism in the Church. Hope can “broaden our horizons, expand our hearts and transform those frames of mind that today paralyse, separate and alienate us from young people,” said Pope Francis.…
The View Martin Mansergh It used to be said that whenever the British came close to solving the Irish Question the Irish changed the question. The Good Friday Agreement addressed the causes of conflict in Northern Ireland, but now it is the British who have changed the question. A border poll post-Brexit would…
A well-known Chinese prelate has dubbed a new deal between the Vatican and China as a “betrayal” of Catholics in the country. For the first time in decades, all of the Catholic bishops in China are in full communion with the Pope, the Vatican announced. Cardinal Joseph Zen, former bishop of Hong Kong, called on…