Establishing romantic relationships can be difficult for young Catholics in the 21st Century, writes Amy Hurle McCann In his book Love and Responsibility, St Pope John Paul II writes of the challenges, cautioning against using people as a “means to an end”. He emphasises that each person should be treated as “an object of…
Category: Feature
If we are not on fire with love for Jesus Christ, none of our good intentions matter
Have we lost the belief in prayer and the power of God to be active in our world and in our Church, asks Fr John Harris OP On the morning of May 26, 2018 I sat in our Dominican church in Newbridge not wanting to open the church for the 8am Mass. Not one box…
Brutal attacks on Christians in Nigeria are condemned
Chai Brady speaks to missionaries about increased persecution in north-east Nigeria Islamic extremism and violence in Nigeria is increasing after a spate of attacks targeting both Christians and moderate Muslims, destroying almost all the clinics and schools Irish missionaries built in the north-eastern part of the country over the last few years. Much of the…
Social issues central to the focus of Young Scientists
This year’s BT Young Science and Technology participants devoted themselves to dealing with topical social issues, from mental health to climate change solutions. Taking place last week in the RDS, 1,100 students from 244 schools across the island from 31 different counties pitched their research, inventions and findings to the judges, the media and the…
Getting nourishment to share the gift of life
Bishop Kevin Doran asks people to consider coming to Budapest to celebrate Christ’s living presence On January 31, 2016 Pope Francis spoke by telecast from Rome to the huge crowd gathered for the Statio Orbis Mass at San Pedro Calungsod, overlooking the sea in Cebu, Philippines. He told us that the next International Eucharistic…
Science and Faith A friendship of the ages
Christianity shouldn’t be afraid to talk about science, theologian Alister McGrath tells Colm Fitzpatrick The story goes that when the French physicist Pierre-Simon, Marquis de Laplace presented Napoleon with his definitive work on the properties of our solar system, he was asked about the absence of God in his model. Laplace replied: “I had…
Geraldine Penrose Fitzgerald …novelist, suffragist and Irish protégé of Newman
Research for the Royal Irish Academy’s ongoing Dictionary of Irish Biography often uncovers significant forgotten figures, writes Patrick Maume Geraldine Penrose Fitzgerald – novelist, suffragist and Catholic convert who corresponded with the elderly John Henry Newman – is a forgotten person. (His surviving letters to her have been published; some of hers to him…
Throwing the baby out with the bathwater
It’s time to outgrow Richard Dawkins, the author of a new critique tells Luke Silke When it was published in 2006, Richard Dawkins’ takedown of faith The God Delusion remained on the bestseller list for 51 weeks. It was part of a fresh war of words on religion which has since been termed ‘the…
Life as a Faith-filled film star
Unplanned star Ashley Bratcher talks to Chai Brady about Christmas, Faith, the film and ‘intimidating’ workplaces US pro-life film star turned producer Ashley Bratcher, who made waves after starring in a contentious film about abortion, opened up about her devout Faith that shapes every part of her life and how the Christmas season for…
Eamon De Valera and the enigma of the ‘Russian Crown Jewels’
State Papers Secrets of the powers that be In 1989, Mrs Eileen Barrington, the wife of the eminent lawyer Donal Barrington, who was the niece of Harry Boland, the associate of de Valera executed during the Civil War, wrote to Brian Lenihan, then Minister of Foreign Affairs, seeking his help with a family mystery.…