The Government needs to “wake up” and commit to protecting Christians who are persecuted globally for their faith, an Irish charity has said. Church in Chains, an outreach group which focuses on raising awareness of the plight of persecuted Christians world-wide, said that our Government is failing to protect the rights of religious groups. Launching…
Christians are being persecuted at a worryingly unprecedented level, writes Colm Fitzpatrick Since the emergence of Christianity, those who have spiritually identified with Jesus have been ostracised, jeered and persecuted. We learn in the New Testament that St Paul was imprisoned in Rome for preaching and according to Church tradition, the apostles all lay…
There’s are old phrase that goes, ‘What you see is what you get’ – and while this might be true sometimes, it’s not always the case. Often, we can be deceived by what see, and our brains might not be able to fully process what’s right in front of us. One way to demonstrate this…
Personal Profile Colm Fitzpatrick writes about how we can learn from the Travelling community Most priests spend their time ministering to their parish communities and those on the margins, but as chaplain for the Travelling community in Ireland, Fr Tom Naughton has truly taken this vocation of outreach to heart. The Limerick-born priest who…
Many women don’t feel an immediate bond with their new-born baby, writes Colm Fitzpatrick You receive the fantastic news that you’re pregnant and will finally be a mother. For nine blissful months you feel baby kicks and eagerly await the arrival of your child. Delivery day comes, and with little effort and no medical…
In the past few years, the moral legitimacy of euthanasia has become a hot-button issue and even in Christian circles, opposition to its implementation has been waning. Indeed, only last week did former Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu say that terminally ill people should have the right to a “dignified assisted death”, following a murder charge…
Priests should challenge parish Priests must challenge parishioners if they want to make the Mass relevant to their lives and prompt them to delve deeper into their Faith. Irish religious and lay-catechists have called for homilies to be “more accessible” and really connect with people if they’re to make an impact. Speaking about the…
Students raised in religious homes are more likely to succeed, regardless of whether they went to a faith school or a not, a new study has found. Research by the UCL Institute of Education found that pupils from Catholic and Church of England families did well due to their upbringing, rather than because of the…
It’s a question almost as old as Christianity itself, and given that parishioners globally have some personal experience of it, it is certainly one worth answering: How long should a homily be? This question has sparked discussion this week after Pope Francis told a gathering of 10,000 over the weekend in Italy that the homily…
Men’s Sheds provide a vital role is combating mental health issues, writes Colm Fitzpatrick Typically, sheds have been understood to be small garden-based shacks which store tools or extra clutter, but a new type of shed taking Ireland by storm is also housing men. And their purpose? To gather for meaningful projects and tackle…