Heraldry is an omnipresent but little understood aspect of Catholic symbolism, writes Michael Heinlein Ecclesiastical heraldry is both familiar and mysterious. Frequently seen in one form or another, coats of arms pervade our Catholic culture in numerous ways: on letters and newspapers, diocesan websites and social media pages, in Roman churches and diocesan cathedrals. Most…
As local and European elections loom, pro-life supporters can play a part in influencing the outcome writes Eilís Mulroy A recent Sunday Independent poll asked members of the public what were the issues of most concern to them and which will influence how they vote at election time. Issues like immigration, health and housing were top…
Carl Olson Pop quiz: How many commandments did Jesus give? It’s a tricky question, since we know Jesus made clear he came to fulfil the law and that his teaching and actions were aimed at the completion – not the abolition – of the commandments (cf. Mt 5:17-20). But what commandments did he give? What…
Recently elected Bishop of Down and Connor, Bishop Alan McGuckian SJ spoke with Sr Denise Boyle, an Irish Franciscan sister who is the Director of the Global Action Programme of Mercy International Association about the impact of synodality on the Church’s mission, the role he played at the Synod in Rome as an elected member…
Sr Alicia Torres Who am I? This question lurks at the core of every human heart. So often the real answer is blurred by responses we so readily grasp after, and yet time and again fail to satisfy. One response in particular, I think, gnaws at so many of us today: “I am important.” Of…
Concern for a baby’s development at the heart of ‘woman in the home’ clause, writes Fr Brian Kavanagh Paragraph 1 of article 41.2.1 of Bunreacht na hÉireann states a truth that needs to be acknowledged, re-iterated and emphasised. In 1937 when the Irish Constitution was ratified, it was the woman who stayed at home to…
Jenna Marie Cooper Q: In the past few weeks, due to extreme weather, I’ve missed Mass a couple of times. My parish has a Facebook channel, so I watched the services there instead. I wasn’t able to receive Communion. In talking to the priest, though, he said that in such situations, a person can receive…
In an exclusive interview with The Synodal Times, Paolo Affatato spoke with Bishop Celso Ba Shwe of Myanmar who was driven out of his cathedral, which was attacked and then occupied by the Burmese army. Now living “as a refugee”, he is building a new ‘cathedral’ made out of bamboo in the forest. ‘A…
Women from Asia took centre stage at the Synod. For the first time they took part in the assembly, and they were a large group, as many as 12. A consecrated woman from Japan, Momoko Nishimura, was among the presidents delegated by the Pope. Then there were four lay women from Hong Kong, Myanmar, the…
Caroline de Sury The reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral, scheduled for December 8, will be “six months of celebration and praise,” the archbishop of Paris said in a pastoral letter. The iconic cathedral will reopen five years and 10 months after the devastating fire in April 2019. Archbishop Laurent Ulrich gave some details in his…