In the latest episode of The Confession Box, Brandon Scott and editor Michael Kelly discuss the news pieces from this week’s issue of The Irish Catholic. Namely, Cardinal Newman being considered for the position of Doctor of the Church, the colourful life of serial entrepreneur of Ben Dunne who passed away recently, the meaning of…
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NI budget cutbacks have ‘major’ impact on faith-based schools
Cuts to the education budget in the North will have a “major impact” on the “Catholic family of schools”, according to submissions to a report released by the Executive. Faith based schools hit back at claims that cuts will result in “minor negative impacts” on Catholic schools, according to the Department of Education’s ‘Equality Impact…
How decluttering our lives and homes advances our spiritual lives
In the battle against clutter both physical and spiritual, the path to holiness lies, writes Emily Stimpson Chapman Religious have it easy – at least in some regards. Consider, for example, their vow of poverty. Religious brothers, sisters and priests pledge a sacred oath that shields them from basements overrun by toys, cupboards overflowing…
What battles are we losing when the holy water fonts are dry?
Elizabeth Scalia In chapter 31 of her autobiography, the 16th Century Carmelite St Teresa of Avila – one of four female doctors of the Church, including her spiritual daughter, St Thérèse of Lisieux – urges us toward frequent use of one particular, very common and (usually) widely available sacramental. “From long experience I have…
SVP expects record calls for help this Christmas
The Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) has estimated it will receive more than quarter of a million requests for help this year, as Christmas approaches. With calls for help already at almost 200,000 to date, the society expects calls at the end of this year to well exceed last year’s record of 230,000 calls.…
Levelling hierarchical distinctions while further clericalising the laity
Russell Shaw Levelling hierarchical distinctions in the Church without removing them entirely has emerged as a principal objective of Pope Francis’ Synod on Synodality. That is perhaps the chief conclusion to be drawn from the first session of the synod, which took place October 4-29 at the Vatican. The second, and presumably last, session will…
How the Vatican’s ‘no’ to Freemasonry is also about the enemy within
Chris Altieri There was a curious news item carried by Vatican News recently, one which, among other things, reminds us that the Catholic Church has both real enemies and a long memory. It may also, however, serve to illustrate that often enough, the Church’s worst enemy is within – and the enemy isn’t who…
Plastic hurleys and barmbrack as Mexico school celebrates Irish week
A Mexico school run by the Augustinian order threw themselves into Irish food and culture, making hurleys out of bits of plastic and sampling a full Irish breakfast, all witnessed by Irish friar Fr Colm O’Mahony OSA. Fr O’Mahony was invited to the Mendel Institute in the city of Aguascalientes, Mexico, to join them in…
Why can’t the Church use disposable plastic cups at Mass?
Jenna Marie Cooper Q: My parish recently returned to communion under the second species. A Eucharistic Minister holds one cup and one cloth and does one wipe after each serve. Most people are still not receiving it for fear of Covid or other illness. Why can’t the Church simply use disposable plastic cups with…
Polish archbishop urges Pope to resist Church in Germany’s demands
Jonathan Luxmoore The president of the Polish bishops’ conference has bitterly criticised demands for liberal change by the Church in neighbouring Germany and urged the Pope not to allow them to dominate the Rome Synod on Synodality. “Awareness of the power of truth sustains my hope for the ongoing synod – that it won’t be…