The Italian Catholic activist Chiara Lubich reflected some years ago on the fact that our contemporary culture appears to have abandoned Christ, but certainly not Christmas. Even people who have long since moved away from the practise of their faith are still captivated by Christmas – at least on the face of it, the celebration…
Re-finding the language of faith
There was a fascinating debate in Britain’s House of Lords last week about education achievement and the need for young people to have access to equal opportunities. The debate was extraordinary for its breadth and depth. While everyone agreed about the need for better outcomes the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Justin Welby pointed out that…
The paralysing effects of negativity in the Church
The former Abbot of Glenstal Abbey Dom Mark Patrick Hederman provoked the ire of the leadership of the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) recently when he accused them of being too negative. It’s a charge that’s been levelled against the leadership of the group before and it’s one that they’re understandably sensitive about. It’s a…
Swimming against the tide in defence of the faith
Irish Catholics have to work hard to make God visible again, David Quinn tells Michael Kelly For almost 25 years, David Quinn has been a thorn in the side of the liberal establishment both within the Church and in wider society. As Director of The Iona Institute think-tank and a former Editor and columnist…
Lost in Translation – we need an honest debate on Mass translation
Editor’s Comment So, Irish parishioners will not have to face the upheaval of yet another new translation of the Mass – at least for now. Reflecting the pragmatism that is the defining characteristic of the modern Irish Church, the cost and huge effort that has gone in to the last revision of the Mass…
Remembering a remarkable man who lived his priesthood to the end
Fr Ronan Drury – who was buried on Monday – shaped several generations of students for the priesthood. He lived at St Patrick’s College, Maynooth for more than a third of that institution’s history. As Professor of Homiletics – the art of preaching – he helped aspirants the length and breadth of Ireland prepare for…
Phoenix Park venue will be a sign of renewed confidence
Editor’s Comment News that the final Mass during the Pope’s expected visit next year will almost certainly be held in Dublin’s Phoenix Park is a welcome sign that Church leaders are thinking big. There has been precious little to be joyful about in the Church in Ireland in recent decades, and many people acutely…
Tragedies raise profound questions for people of Faith
Editor’s Comment When bad things happen to good people – what philosophers and theologians call the problem of evil – is one of the most troubling and persistent questions facing religious believers. How does one reconcile belief in the existence of a God who is all-loving and all-powerful with the reality of evil in…
Putting to rest the mystery of the 33-day Pope
While the Vatican assesses potential miracles attributed to the intercession of Pope John Paul I, a new books sheds light on events surrounding his death, writes Michael Kelly It’s no coincidence that Dan Browne – author if The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons – chose the Catholic Church as the backdrop for…
November: a time for the living and the dead
November is the month during which Christians traditionally pray for and remember in a special way our loved ones who have died. The reality about the human condition is that we will all die some day – Benjamin Franklin captured it well when he said: “in this world nothing can be said to be certain,…