The unique marital bond is not meant to be compromised by parents or siblings, writes Wendy Grace

We can all remember the nursery rhyme about magpies:  “One for sorrow, two for joy, three for a girl, four for a boy, five for silver, six for gold, seven for a secret never to be told”.  Seeing a lone magpie brings bad luck, seeing groups predicts the future.  Most of us are superstitious to…

Fr Bryan Shortall OFM Cap shares his path to priesthood with Paul Keenan

Katherine Daniels describes how continuing her late husband’s work has helped his goodness live on

Christine Lavin The first time I attended a Youth 2000 retreat, I went alone. I knew no one and I remember tagging along behind a girl who had started chatting to me on the bus. As I dodged between the people shouting greetings and running into hugs I felt my nerves dissolve a little. I…

Anne Joyce describes how her mother’s Alzheimer’s led her to a new way of loving

Since early childhood, I always associated November and its darker days with the Holy Souls in Purgatory.  My parents put a lot of emphasis on praying for the dead with specific mention of loved ones who’d passed on to the next life. While they carefully explained the finer points of how to gain indulgences, I…

Fr Robert McCabe tells Greg Daly about returning to parish life after 20 years as an army chaplain

Careful planning and avoiding extravagance is the way to avoid post-Christmas financial blues writes John Reid

Primary and secondary schools reopened a couple of months ago after the Summer break to begin a new academic year. There is an ongoing debate in educational circles and amongst parents about the value of homework – is homework a good idea overall and does it improve academic achievement? Research in this area gives a…