A Dublin schoolgirl was among the tens of thousands who took to Dublin’s streets on Saturday for the annual Rally for Life. See pages 8 & 9. Photo: John McElroy
Flying the flag for protection of life
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Peace-campaigner priest honoured
Passionist priest, Fr Gary Donegan CP, has received the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws (LLD) from the University of Ulster for his outstanding community work within Northern Ireland. Photo: Nigel McDowell/Ulster University
Religion should be taught outside schools
Dear Editor, Here in Ireland, up to relatively recently, children absorbed the faith of their parents in the home, where religion, in all its forms, was part of living. What happened in school was simply a reinforcement of that same religious ethos. In such a climate, it was only natural that the schools should prepare…
Finding a friend in God
I grew up in a Catholic home with my parents, my two younger brothers and my younger sister. For most of my teenage years, my faith didn’t mean anything to me. I thought Mass was very boring and I didn’t see the point in going. I went every Sunday but only to please my parents.…
Priests never thanked for professionalism
Fr Bernard Cotter Why is it that undertakers are nearly always thanked for their ‘professionalism’ while clergy are never praised in this way? I’m referring to those acknowledgement notices placed in newspapers some time after a funeral, which contain a kind of general ‘thank you’ to everyone who helped, but which usually name people whose…
Happy memories of Rathfarnam Abbey
Conor Donnelly In this memoir two sisters give an hilarious and poignant account of boarding school life in Ireland in the 1960s – echoes of the ever popular Mallory Towers perhaps, but this is a true tale of Irish education; and for once a happy enough education too. The authors are both scientists. Valerie has…
On the pilgrims’ path
Participants from the Diocese of Elphin and the Parish of Kilnamanagh-Castleview (Dublin) who walked the Camino from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela, Spain led by Bishop Kevin Doran and Fr Michael Murphy Adm. Kilnamanagh-Castleview.
Recent books in brief
Exploring Amoris Laetia: Opening the Pope’s Love Letter to Families edited by Breda O’Brien (Veritas, €12.99) With preparations well under way in Dublin for The World Meeting of Families in August, this collection of essays edited by Irish Catholic columnist Breda O’Brien is very timely. Some nine established Catholic communicators share their insights into the…
Pallottines celebrate another ordination
Fr Charles Lafferty SAC pictured with his parents, John and Joan Lafferty, and Bishop Donal McKeown following his ordination in St Mary’s Church, Ardmore in Derry last week.
Across the cultures in Palestine
Geoff Day Here is a true book full of surprises. It starts as an examination of the suicide bombing of the Dolphinarium nightclub in Tel Aviv in June 2001 and ends with highlighting some real moral dilemmas related to issues around heart transplants and apartheid. Somerville neatly begins by juxtaposing his recall of the facts…