It must have been some eight years ago since Stephen Fry, accompanied by his then-young boyfriend, a hair stylist, very kindly drove me from Oxfordshire to London on a late summer afternoon. We had been attending a barbecue party given by the late Mel Smith, the actor and comedian, and Mr Fry and his companion…

What is informally called the Pope’s ‘rabbit’ speech – when he remarked that families don’t have to “breed like rabbits” – scarcely needed underlining in most European countries today. Far from “breeding like rabbits”, the European fertility rate is catastrophically low. And even in Ireland, where fertility has traditionally been high – and even valued…

The structure of the Church mirrors the world

‘be aware of the contemporary contradictions which surround this whole subject of ‘liberty of speech’, writes Mary Kenny

“Even though the official Catholic Church disapproved of rebellion, it was a profoundly Catholic event”

Treasuring past Christmases for their ‘uncomplicated simplicity’

Migrants should be acquainted with the law – it’s common sense

‘the nastiness of the world cannot be magicked away’, writes Mary Kenny

‘Timely reminder: not all men are violent’, writes Mary Kenny