Maria Steen on how party control and arrogance have turned politics into a closed circle It is two weeks since I exited the presidential race, having received 18 of the 20 nominations required. In that short time, a lot has happened: what could have been a full line up of candidates – as in 2011…
Why am I seeking a nomination to run for election as President? This is a question that I have asked myself many times. Those whose support I am asking for have a right to ask it too. After all, I am not a politician. I have never run for public office before. Why should I…
The week before last, I made a pilgrimage to Rome with my husband and children, in the company of two other families. Shepherding 22 children around the streets of the eternal city in 35-degree heat was a challenge not for the faint-hearted. Despite some disappointments (we didn’t get very close to the Pope), and setbacks…
Reams of paperless columns have already been written about our new Pope, Leo XIV, analysing every little look or utterance, every handshake, his dress, his repossession of the Papal Apartments. It seems to me that, among Catholics, there is a change in sentiment – a ‘vibe shift’, if you will – and a sense of…
It may seem like a funny thing to say, but Pope Francis’s funeral last week got me thinking about fashion. Following the televising of the funeral and publication of photos of the various dignitaries in attendance, social media was alight with comments about who was wearing what, or rather criticisms about how inappropriately some (notably,…
Last weekend, the news broke that disgraced former cardinal and archbishop of Washington, Theodore McCarrick had died on April 3. The former cardinal was laicised by Pope Francis in February 2019, following revelations of his serial sexual molestation of male teenagers and adult seminarians. For those unfamiliar with his history, as his name suggests, McCarrick…
Last weekend, a conference was held in the Clayton Hotel in Ballsbridge, Dublin, hosted by the Life Institute, Family and Solidarity, and Doctors for Life on the issue of assisted suicide. All around the world, there are moves to introduce assisted suicide, and Ireland is no different. Last year, a majority of TDs voted in…
The All Ireland Rosary Rally kicked off in Knock last weekend with over 200 in attendance for the launch. Despite grey skies and the biting cold, those in attendance were enthusiastic – not least the children who gathered for the children’s rosary at the end of the afternoon. The Rally, organised by Fr Marius O’Reilly,…
Every so often in world politics, someone comes along who is a game changer and it is very exciting to be alive to witness it – particularly when that someone (within the space of a week) manages to quote St Augustine, St Thomas Aquinas and Pope St John Paul II. I write of course about…
The programme for government 2025 was finally revealed last week. After long negotiations a pact was agreed between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and nine Independent TDs. Having examined the programme, I admit to being flabbergasted at its total disregard of the results of last year’s referendum and the ramifications this has for children and their…