Cindy Wooden Budapest, Hungary – Paying homage to Hungary’s history, culture and location in the heart of Europe, Pope Francis pushed against the notion that the country needed to insulate itself to protect its identity. As expected, in his first speech in Hungary – to government and civic leaders and diplomats serving in Budapest –…

Prayer helps to recognise the richness of religious life despite modern vices, Chai Brady hears Despite a growing secularist culture in Ireland, religious orders are dedicated to finding and cultivating the vocation of those who feel they are called to a life serving the Church’s mission. The attraction of sex, drugs, and alcohol can be…

Irish archbishop in South Africa Liam Slattery OFM tells of how the ‘load shedding’ practice is causing economic havoc, hears Jason Osborne In one way or another, all of us have a newfound awareness of the precariousness of our modern dependence on electricity and the fuels it’s generated by. This consciousness is largely as a…

A top-heavy structure does not listen to the people, and the people increasingly do not listen to the Church, writes Dr Phyllis Zagano Twenty centuries of stony sleep? Not really. There are times in the history of the Church when justice was the order of the day, when women were well regarded, and when saying…

Good Friday at 25 Reconciliation was not an optional extra in the Gospel message and teaching of Jesus: it was a core value, writes Archbishop Eamon Martin Two commentators on a recent radio interview were discussing our historic peace agreement of April 10, 1998. I found it quite sad that throughout the entire discussion each used…

Good Friday at 25 Despite the horrors of the conflict, the witness of countless heroic priests and other clerics reminds us of a Christian hope which stood against hatred, writes Prof. Francis Campbell Over 25 years ago, I heard a senior British official, who was quite closely involved with the Northern Ireland peace process, lament…

Good Friday at 25 Whatever the persistent problems or deficiencies of the Good Friday Agreement, a return to violence has to be avoided, writes Dr Martin Mansergh The reaction of older people who lived through the 30-year-long northern conflict, especially those in close proximity to it, is one of profound gratitude that it proved possible…

Good Friday at 25 It is difficult for a new generation who have never experienced conflict at home to imagine the toll of the violence in lost lives, physical and mental injury and economic woe,writes Martin O’Brien After staying up late on Holy Thursday in case I missed anything I woke up to a news…

Good Friday at 25 As we mark the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, we face new challenges but ones to which solutions can and should be found, writes Bishop Donal McKeown  Like many people, I remember very well where I was when I heard about the Good Friday Agreement. Unlike most of my colleagues…

Good Friday at 25 As the deadline loomed, the sky wept thousands of raindrops, which fell like tears for thousands of victims writes, former BBC Political Correspondent Martina Purdy David Trimble did not live long enough to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. But shortly before he died, the former Ulster Unionist…