The Curious Fox by Ross McDonagh, illustrated by Conor M. O’Brien (Veritas, €8.99 / £6.99)
What Little Fox learned about life
admin
Voices of reason after Brexit vote
June 24, ‘the morning after the night before’ in terms of the Brexit vote across Britain, prompted and continues to prompt reams of newsprint and online commentary as to the true implications of the country’s historic move. The plethora of competing reactions at this point is made possible of course by the very real uncertainty…
Clonard novena issues invitation to Pope Francis
Staff Reporter Through a warm burst of applause the congregation at the annual Clonard novena have tasked the papal nuncio with passing on an invitation for Pope Francis to visit the Belfast monastery during his expected trip to Ireland in 2018. The Pope’s representative to Ireland, Archbishop Charles Brown, celebrated the youth session at Clonard novena…
Mariapolis summer festival of mercy
Mariapolis is the Focolare summer gathering under the theme ‘Mercy Matters’ where people of all ages, backgrounds and faiths meet to take timeout together. It is like a retreat but it is lived together each day with talks, workshops, outings and fun, moments of reflection and discussion. This year’s gathering is on July 6–10 in…
St Fachtna’s De La Salle school closes in Cork
St Fachtna’s De La Salle secondary school in Skibbereen, west Cork recently closed its doors for the last time. De La Salle Brothers lived and taught in Skibbereen from 1937 until they left in 2001. A plaque was unveiled on its main street by the president of its past pupils union and a special Mass…
A ‘meeting of the hearts’ in Emmaus Centre
The three branches (brothers, sisters and secular) of the Ireland-England Province of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (SSCC) met for their annual gathering in Emmaus Retreat Centre in Swords at the start of June. Accompanying the assembly was the Superior General of the Congregation, Javier Álvarez Ossorio (Spain) and one…
Annual Church music summer school
The Irish Church Music Association holds its 47th Summer School from Wednesday, July 6 to Saturday, July 9 in St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, Co. Kildare. The theme is ‘God Full of Mercy’. This year’s programme includes a blend of contemporary and traditional choral pieces with emphasis on Psalms, sacraments, ritual and music for the liturgical…
Mass is not a performance that requires applause
Dear Editor, Bro. George Whyte’s letter on ‘Disorder and disrespect at services’ (IC 02/06/2016) is no exaggeration and provides a good example of what is happening presently in churches throughout the country. Congregational applause is another irreverent practice that I would like to highlight and which, I feel, is becoming increasingly prevalent particularly at weekend…
Queen’s surprising ‘ecumenism’
Dear Editor, Mary Kenny describes Queen Elizabeth of Britain as a “surprising ecumenist” who nevertheless adheres to her own Christian faith (IC 16/06/2016). Wasn’t it Queen Elizabeth who signed into law the 1967 Abortion Act, which has resulted – so far – in the deaths of more than eight million of her subjects? Would that…
Ignore UN abortion ruling
Dear Editor, I’m sure that the vast majority would have the greatest sympathy with any pregnant woman who has received an unsatisfactory diagnosis, and would agree that she should receive all appropriate assistance and support. However if the United Nations Committee had any genuine concern for human rights, it would have recognised that the real cruelty,…