Seven years after From Fire, by Water first appeared, Mr Ahmari is not especially interested in retelling his conversion story. The memoir, which traces his journey from post-revolutionary Iran through atheism and into the Catholic Church, is now being released in a UK edition with a new preface. But speaking to The Irish Catholic, Mr…
I said to her, what’s the problem? You don’t want to have a caesarean section. And she said, ‘Why are you so bent on the caesarean section? You haven’t even checked to see whether I can have a baby.’” The woman had already undergone two previous caesarean sections. Medically, a third was necessary. Attempting a…
Whenever I talk about the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church or even mention that it’s an Eastern Catholic Church, there is always a follow-up question. Many often know that Apostle St Thomas had established a church and community back in 52 AD, hence the name St Thomas Christians. Little do people know, there was a huge revolution…
Powerfully elegant, Newry Cathedral presides above a cacophony of city commerce. Nestled between the loveliness of The Mournes, The Ring of Gullion and The Irish Sea, on the main Dublin to Belfast thoroughfare, Newry historically and contemporarily is an important investment centre. It is fitting that this city boasts the first cathedral to be built following Catholic…
Recently I’ve travelled the road to Damascus, visiting parishes and speaking with Christians communities as I made my way home through a region at war. The conflict began during a research trip in Iraq and soon disrupted my planned return to studies in Cairo. The airspace closed, and the situation in Baghdad deteriorated rapidly. Though…
The belief that Jesus of Nazareth rose from the dead is the single most important element of the Christian faith. In 1 Cor 15:14, St Paul argues that the truth of Christianity depends on the truth of the resurrection of Christ. If it never happened, then the Gospel message is empty. The fact that the…
As Pope Leo XIV prepares for his first visit to the Church in Africa, I examine the key issues he is likely to encounter when he meets Catholic leaders in Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea from April 13 to 23. The pontiff has accepted the invitation from the government authorities and Church leaders of…
All across Ulster, there is one game that reigns supreme. As hurling defines Munster and much of south Leinster, Gaelic football is the lifeblood of the northern province. In towns and villages from Fermanagh to Antrim, it is more than a sport; it is a ritual. In every parish across the province, the local GAA…
In Week 6 of his Lumen gentium catechesis, Pope Leo XIV sheds light on the innate dignity of the laity and their role in the mission of the Church Brothers and sisters, good morning! Let us continue on our path of reflection on the Church as she is presented to us in the Conciliar…
On January 31 three young women: Paulina, Amelia and Anne-Sophie, took their religious vows and dedicated their life to God and to his mission. They were among a group of five novices who came to Dublin, to Raheny, in September 2024 for their novitiate programme. We are missionaries, so to go abroad is something normal…