The Papers of Maurice FitzGerald, 18th Knight of Kerry: Volume 1: Disillusioned Unionist; Vol. 11: Rejected Emancipationist, edited by Adrian FitzGerald (Kingdom Books, €50.00 / £43.00) By Thomas McCarthy The life and public career of the 18th Knight of Kerry, Maurice FitzGerald, spanned the most turbulent last years of the Irish Parliament, the passing of the Act of…
Gaelic and Free: Memoirs of Pádraig O’Callaghan, edited by Elizabeth Scanlan & Brendan O’Callaghan (Lettertec Publishing, €20.00 / £17. 20 plus p+p; Lettertec, Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork T45 NX81; infor@lettertect.com) J. Anthony Gaughan Two issues dominated the life of Pádraig O’Callaghan: teaching and promoting the Irish language and striving for “an Ireland, Gaelic and Free”. O’Callaghan was…
By Marion Hausmann Ireland was reconsecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus last Sunday by Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh during Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady Queen of Ireland in Knock. Pope Leo XIV sent his blessings from the Vatican, praying, “that this solemn occasion will provide a grace-filled opportunity for all…
Candles still flicker in Bethlehem, prayers are still whispered in Nablus, and weary hearts still dare to hope that peace might yet come to this land, writes Justin Robinson OSB In searching for words that capture the spirit of our times, many in the Middle East turn to a line by Antonio Gramsci that feels as…
By Frank Russell Each May since 1958 thousands of military personnel from European countries and beyond descend on the small town of Lourdes in the southwest of France to celebrate the International Military Pilgrimage there. This unique pilgrimage was initiated to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Apparition of Our Lady in 1858 to…
As Christians there is the pastoral dimension which we are mandated by our faith to fulfil in our service to others, writes Tony Carroll It has been a difficult few weeks for those living, working and supporting loved ones in nursing homes. The ninety percent of Ireland’s thirty thousand nursing home residents who had previously…
Organ donation is a beautiful act of altruism Dear Editor, the article titled ‘Rescind new organ donation law says leading theologian’ was published on page 3 of the June 19 edition of your newspaper. In the piece, Fr Vincent Twomey is quoted as saying: “In the first place, it assumes, that after death, our bodies…
By Julieann Moran In this Jubilee Year, we are invited to be ‘Pilgrims of Hope’, purposeful travellers on a path guided by the Holy Spirit. That path, for the Church today, is called ‘synodality’. But what is Synodality? Synodality is the way the Church listens, discerns, and walks together. For me, synodality is not simply…
Christians in Syria are reeling after a suicide bombing struck a Greek Orthodox church in Damascus during a June 22 Divine Liturgy. At least 20 were killed and more than 60 injured on Sunday after an attacker, reported to be armed and wearing an explosive vest, entered Mar Elias church in the city’s Dweila neighbourhood.…
Sacrifice is the most important of the external acts of religion writes Fr Kevin E. O’Reilly It might come as a surprise to many to learn that religion is in fact a virtue. It in fact pertains to the virtue of justice. To be more precise, it is a potential part of justice. Justice involves…