A giant robotic spider perched near Notre Dame Cathedral in Canada has drawn shock and criticism from Catholics – to the disappointment of the archbishop. Archbishop Terrence Prendergast said he was surprised by the negative reaction to an artistic initiative after critics called the mechanical spider’s placement “sacrilegious”, “demonic” and “disrespectful” of a sacred space.…
Organised criminals face excommunication A consultation group for the Vatican will consider using excommunication as a weapon against organised crime and corruption. The Mafia and other criminal organisations could be thrown out of the Church if proposals published last week by the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development are followed. The group proposes the…
Miguel Diaz Epluribus unum. This motto appears in the Great Seal of the United States, the seals of top US government officials, and on US coins. While not as explicitly religious as the oft-cited motto, “In God we Trust”, this other foundational American motto not only supplies the building blocks for authentic community and human…
Dear Editor, I disagree with the view of Bro. Richard Hendrick, OFM Cap., that mindfulness is part of the Christian tradition. (‘Call for mindfulness to be made mainstream in the Irish Church’, IC 03/08/2017). One comes as one is “in the present moment” to Christian prayer. However, neither the Buddhist nor the Hindu traditions relate…
Dear Editor, Niamh Uí Bhriain (IC 27/07/2017) wrote about the “inspiring, amazing Karen Gaffney”, the first person with Down Syndrome to receive an honorary doctorate for her achievements. The article made reference to the fact that the mainstream Irish media refused to give Karen a media platform when she visited Ireland to address the Save…
Dear Editor, Is it wrong for me to say I am sick of hearing about mindfulness? I understand Bro. Richard Hendrick’s point that we should look to our own Catholic tradition of mindfulness rather than elsewhere (IC 03/08/2017), but I think the popularity of mindfulness has now gotten out of control. It is laudable to…
Dear Editor, The Archbishop of Dublin states that after Irish Independence Catholics began for the first time to have access to public office (IC 13/07/2017). The archbishop is misinformed. Catholics were appointed to senior judicial and administrative posts soon after Emancipation. One of the few positions barred to them by the 1829 Act was the…
Dear Editor, Like Dr Andrew Maxwell (Letters IC 20/07/2017), I too spent almost all my working life in South Africa and have a similar view to his on the situation of Catholicism here after those years. I agree that the younger generation mostly seems absent from participation in Church matters in Ireland today and would…
Dear Editor, The excellent article and important research by Mags Gargan showing that the Government does not know the cause of death of more than one in three asylum-seekers who die in State care, once again exposes this country’s attitude towards ‘foreigners’ (IC 27/07/2017). The sheer carelessness of this is hard to exaggerate. The State…
Dear Editor, The Sunday collection in aid of the famine-stricken countries of Africa was a very laudable action which had the potential to raise many millions. However, the opportunity was somewhat wasted by the lack of preparation. Most Mass-goers only knew of the collection when it was announced at Mass on the day and they…