Dear Editor, Your recent front page on the Mercy on the Mall initiative in Shannon parish (IC 26/11/2015) should be an inspiration to other priests during this Year of Mercy. Having Confessions heard by priests in a shopping centre reminds me of a recent trip to New York when clergy were posted at subway stations…
Courtney McGrail
Irish priests are theologically competent
Dear Editor, In relation to Fr Oliver Rafferty’s concerns about the content of the theology courses in St Patrick’s College (‘Maynooth rejects claim it pays ‘lip service’ to theology’ IC 03/12/2015). Msgr Hugh Connolly should not be placed in the position where he feels compelled to defend the college of which he is president. My…
Vatican News
Love and truth are central to mercy, says CDF chief Mercy is a grace that comes from on high and changes our lives, taking us as we are but not leaving us as we are, according to Cardinal Gerhard Müller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF). Speaking in an interview, the cardinal described Confession as “paradigmatic of mercy”, saying…
Jesuits condemn removal of South African finance minister
The Jesuit Institute South Africa has expressed its concern about President Jacob Zuma’s removal of Nhlanha Nene as the country’s Minister of Finance, claiming that the decision “spells disaster for the stability of an embattled economy” and raises questions about President Zuma’s ability to lead the country. Although finance minister for just over 18 months,…
Vatican economic chief “too ill” to fly to abuse inquiry
Ill health has forced Cardinal George Pell to be excused from appearing in person at Australia’s Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse until February. Justice Peter McClellan, chairing the commission’s inquiry, said he had received an email “to advise that the cardinal is currently affected by serious health conditions that, in the…
News in Brief
US nuns and sisters more ethnically diverse, study shows Religious life in the US is becoming more multi-ethnic and more international according to a new study, Understanding US Catholic Sisters Today, commissioned by Foundations and Donors Interested in Catholic Activities (FADICA), which represents about 50 philanthropic organisations. The report, which highlights the major findings of recent sociological studies of women religious, said only…
Act quickly on climate change agreement, Pope urges
The international community must act decisively and follow the path mapped out at the Paris climate summit, Pope Francis has said. Speaking after the Angelus on Sunday, December 13, the Pope recognised how the agreement signed at the Climate Change Conference (COP21) had been “described by many as historic”, but stressed that “its implementation will…
Ger Brennan is a good example for young people
Dear Editor, I was extremely impressed by former Dublin footballer Ger Brennan in an interview which featured in The Irish Catholic recently. It was a real delight to read about how his faith journey developed alongside his footballing and professional careers. In our celebrity-mad world, young people ought to look to up to the likes…
Ireland’s military neutrality is a policy, and not an orientation
Dear Editor, Martin Mansergh (The View, IC 03/12/2015) states how “our military neutrality is a policy”. As such, it primarily concerns our interests. Yet our ideals or values arise as well. Bunreacht na hÉireann (Art. 29) mentions the “pacific (ie non-belligerent) settlement of international disputes”. Hence a constitutional endorsement of the “ideal of peace”. Historically,…
Muslims too are our brothers and sisters
Dear Editor, The Paris atrocities have been widely covered on media reports and rightly so since nobody wants to see innocent people being murdered. However, I hope that in future we will see more balanced coverage of the air strikes now taking place against ISIS. In the TV reports covering the French response we were…