Irish Trappist Bro. Brian O’Dowd tells Rhina Guidos about finding his new spiritual home When Trappist Bro. Brian O’Dowd was looking for a new spiritual home, he set his sights on something different from his monastery in Ireland, built around a 13th-century Norman castle, where the religious community was dwindling. He found it, but with…
Hollywood star Mickey Rourke opens up about God’s influence on his life, writes Ruadhán Jones “Most people would say – Mickey Rourke, you wouldn’t think he prays the rosary three times a day,” says the Hollywood star with a bad-boy reputation. “But maybe that’s why I’m still here.” Mr Rourke is probably best-known as a…
The future of Taiwan and its 23 million people must be decided democratically by the people, an Irish missionary tells Chai Brady Violent rhetoric between China and Taiwan has intensified in the last month ever since a visit by Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan in early August. Tensions have…
The Sunday Gospel While the first reading and responsorial psalm are chosen to connect with the Gospel of the day, it occasionally happens that the second reading touches on the same theme. The mercy of God to sinners features in each text this Sunday. In the first reading (Exodus 32:7-11.13-14), when the Israelites worshipped a calf…
Legacy Supplement Without intervention, the poor of northern Somalia will starve, Chai Brady hears Years of bad rains and extended dry periods are causing a major food and livelihood crisis in the Horn of Africa. In some areas aid workers face kidnapping and even murder but they still make sure those who are in need…
Legacy Supplement Sustainable, local solutions for people with disabilities and their families are the key to CBM’s work in a precarious global landscape, writes Jason Osborne Between the ongoing aftereffects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the dire impact the war in Ukraine has had food-wise on the most vulnerable around the world, threats continue to…
Great crowds accompanied Jesus on his way and he turned and spoke to them. “If anyone comes to me without hating his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters and his own life too, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:1-2). The size of the crowd did not impress Jesus. He could read their minds and intentions. Some…
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…
Nicaragua is becoming one of the most dangerous countries for the Church and missionaries to minister, writes Chai Brady Looking at the situation in the Central American country of Nicaragua, the martyred and canonised St Oscar Romero comes to mind. He spoke out against a regime he knew to be unjust up until the end,…
The Dominican General Chapter gathered the brothers in Spirit and in prayer to address the global challenges the Order faces, writes Jason Osborne The General Chapter of the Dominicans convened this year in Tultenango, Mexico from July 18 to August 8, during which time the brothers came together in a spirit of prayer and fraternity…
Ruadhán Jones
Chai Brady