How should we commemorate the Irish Civil War – the centenary occurring at the turn of the year? If it were left to Fergal Keane, the renowned war reporter, it wouldn’t be ‘commemorated’ at all. He’s really troubled by that word ‘commemoration’ – with its overtones of honouring an event – because he’s seen so…
Boris Johnson is what’s known as a ‘Marmite’ politician. Voters either loathe him – or they warm to his bonhomie, boosterism, and even dishevelled appearance. His errors include a careless and arguably duplicitous approach to the Irish border in the context of Brexit – agreeing to a border in the Irish Sea, and then somehow…
The American family is in trouble: according to a report carried out by Cornell University (by sociologist Karl Pillemer) more than a quarter of Americans are estranged from a close family member. He says the figure could be higher because people can be ashamed to admit their isolation from family connections. Estrangement The most common…
It fascinates me that whenever there is a street demonstration in Ireland against the alleged influence of nuns – as there has been in connection with the proposed National Maternity Hospital adjacent to St Vincent’s – protesters come out with the catchphrase, often painted on banners: “Get your Rosaries/Off our ovaries.” This snappy campaign cry…
I’m not sure I could give a coherent description of the protocols of association football, were I quizzed on the subject: the ‘off-side’ rule has been explained to me many times, but I still don’t quite grasp it. It was lovely to see the euphoric delight expressed by the Italian fans in celebration” And yet,…
Dr Gavin Ashenden, honorary chaplain to Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II from 2008 to 2017, was received into the Catholic Church in December 2019. He recently gave a talk to ‘The Keys’ (the Catholic Writers’ Guild of England and Wales) about his journey. At the Church of England synod of 2008, liberals ‘squeezed out conservatives’ from…
I’m fascinated by the way that old ideas often return wearing new livery. The latest health advice against Covid-19, and other ailments is – ventilation. That is, a dose of fresh air which Florence Nightingale was advocating back in the 1850s, and which every convent school practiced, before the era of the (less healthy) air…
The World Health Organisation has been issuing advice to women: do not drink any alcohol during your childbearing years. Because most women, from adolescence to menopause, are likely to become mothers, and boozing mothers can produce infants with the distressing Foetal Alcohol Syndrome. I wonder if I had been given such advice, when I was…
There are several Christian sects which do not subscribe to infant baptism, such as the Baptists, Anabaptists, Pentecostalists, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Plymouth Brethern. For people like the Anabaptists, baptism is valid only when the candidates confess their faith in Christ and request to be baptised. The Mormons also practice adult baptism. What characterises most of…
One of the most comforting aspects of Catholic Christianity is that its ethos is forgiving. Whatever sins or transgressions you may have committed, they will be forgiven (after due repentance). We have the words of the Saviour himself that it is a faith for sinners. Worldly practices How different from many of the worldly practices…