It is very good to be part of a rejoicing Church. I have been privileged over the last two weekends to attend ordination ceremonies – one in Westminster diocese in England, and one in my home diocese of Down and Connor. Dedicated At a time when there is so much talk of the problems and…
The View Once upon a time 11 shocked and weary disciples gathered together to mourn the death of their leader, betrayed by the 12th disciple. There must have seemed to be no hope at all. Their leader had told them that he would return to them, but they knew he had died a shocking, terrible…
The rights to freedom of thought, expression and belief were accepted by countries as part of their international legal obligations under the UN Declaration of Human Rights 75 years ago. It was followed in 1957 by the European Convention on Human Rights. In the 50 years before the universal declaration, there had been two world…
Good Friday at 25 The View There has been much coverage in the last weeks of the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. I have not wanted to watch much of it. My abiding memory of the signing of the agreement is that it induced in me a sense of great sorrow and distress…
I wonder how women really feel, deep down, about their membership of the Church in Ireland. The synodal pathway process has challenged us all to discern how we live as Church in the future. The Pope was very clear that this was not intended to be a comprehensive review of doctrine, rather it is about how we…
August 15 this year will be the 25th anniversary of the day on which the Omagh bomb exploded killing 29 people and two unborn babies. It was the single biggest incident of the Troubles. It was planted by the Real IRA in the little market town of Omagh as people, including visitors from Ireland and…
The death of Pope Benedict on New Year’s Eve gives rise to many possible consequences for the Church. There were stark differences between the papacy of Pope Benedict and Pope Francis, though both based their foundations very solidly on love – the love of God for his people, and both focused on the need for…
The View Two thousand years ago a young man and a young woman made a long journey on foot to Bethlehem. She was pregnant – nearing her time. They must have been very concerned as they plodded on, the woman riding on a donkey, wondering whether they would be able to get accommodation. Would it be warm and…
The View Last Saturday night I went with the Families of the Disappeared to Oristown, Co. Meath for a Mass commemorating all those who had been abducted and murdered by the IRA and who are known as ‘the Disappeared’. This is where the bodies of three of those who were abducted and murdered by the…
The View We live in a world which can seem almost as if it is imploding. On the global front we see developments in China which are a cause of great concern as Xi Jinping cements his power; we are watching the systematic destruction of much of Ukraine by Russia; war is being waged in…