There is a huge debt to Irish missionaries who have quietly ministered to Irish people incarcerated abroad, writes Chai Brady Pope Francis has often spoke of the need for reform in prison systems, to tackle the root cause of crime and to assist people in their efforts to reintegrate into society after serving their sentence.…

The Sunday Gospel Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap. Some of the doors that have kept people locked in have been opened in recent days. But there is still a long wait until all doors will be opened. Religion has a huge role to play in sustaining hope by remembering the bigger picture of life. On…

India is bearing the brunt of a new wave of the pandemic. A doctor in Mumbai has described a covid ward there as resembling a scene from Dante’s Inferno. Priests are among those dying from the illness, crematoria are overloaded, and at least one diocese has been offering its facilities to be used for treating…

Irish missionaries in South Sudan reflect on the first few days following the shocking attack on Rumbek’s bishop-elect, writes Ruadhán Jones There is a mixture of fear and hope in the diocese of Rumbek, South Sudan, after the shooting of Bishop-designate Christian Carlassare, according to Irish missionaries in the region. As the police work for…

There’s a need to tackle, in particular, online anti-Semitic conspiracies which connect Jewish people to the pandemic, writes Chai Brady Antisemitism has existed  in some form or other for 3,000 years and has taken many different shapes since then, some attacks on the Jewish people are obvious and easily recognised while others are more subliminal…

Listening will only get the Church so far if it doesn’t trust its own Tradition, writes Ruadhán Jones Let’s cut to the chase; why does the Church want to reach out to those outside it, many of whom are hostile to it, some of whom have already rejected it? Wouldn’t it be easier if the…

The Sunday Gospel Fr Silvester O’Flynn OFM Cap. Our Gospel today, John 15:9-17, is a continuation of the statement of Jesus, “I am the vine, you are the branches.” The context is the discourse of Jesus with the disciples at the Last Supper. He has been telling them that his days among them in a…

A lack of volunteers makes it difficult for Apostolic Work to keep up with demand for Mass kits destined for beleaguered parishes, writes Chai Brady Despite the number of parishes involved in making materials for celebrating Mass in impoverished countries dropping in Dublin by almost 90%, there are still dedicated members of Apostolic Work helping…

The Irish OLA sisters believe racism and discrimination must be addressed as Ireland becomes more multicultural, writes Ruadhán Jones The problem of racism afflicts every society where different races come into contact. In the modern west, the increasingly multicultural flavour of societies means it is an issue of pressing importance. This includes Ireland, according to…

Israel Olatunde is sprinting ahead as the world stands still, but sees God as the greatest prize, writes Jason Osborne Few activities are as liberating as running as fast as you can. For some reason as we grow up, we do it less and less, but most of us can remember the ecstatic joy of…