The Vatican has a key role to play in acknowledging failures Archbishop Eamon Martin tells Michael Kelly Nothing has done more to damage the credibility of the Church’s witness to the Gospel in recent decades than what we tend to collectively refer to as ‘the scandals’. The abuse of children and vulnerable adults by…
Missionary lessons from Africa can’t easily be applied in Ireland, Clogher’s new bishop tells Greg Daly For years a recurring cry from Ireland’s Association of Catholic Priests was that the country’s bishops were being appointed from outside their dioceses, as though they were outsiders imposed without suitable local consultation. As former papal nuncio Archbishop…
The Church’s Jewish dimension needs to be recovered, Prof. Gavin D’Costa tells Colm Fitzpatrick In Andrew Marvell’s sardonic 17th Century poem, ‘To His Coy Mistress’, the poet submits that he would spend all of time trying to court a beautiful woman even if this entailed being forthrightly rejected. His steadfastness is described in theological…
Consecrated Life 2019 The variety of consecrated life in modern Ireland is dazzling “God has created me to do him some definite service; he has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another,” Blessed John Henry Newman famously wrote, and for those dazzled or baffled by the variety of consecrated…
Consecrated Life 2019 Irish religious are still making a difference around the world, Greg Daly is told “Being a missionary is a life choice, and it is a choice for life – the notion of retiring doesn’t even enter into the equation,” Heydi Foster, CEO of Misean Cara, tells The Irish Catholic. Citing the…
Homelessness Supplement 2019 Support from Cork Simon can transform lives, Greg Daly learns Becoming homeless and having to rely on emergency accommodation in his home city seven years ago was a desperate experience for Garry, a native of Cork City. “Some weeks you might get a bed three nights out of seven so you…
Homelessness Supplement 2019 While progress is being made on the homelessness crisis, much more needs to be done, Greg Daly reports Just over four years ago, Ireland seemed to reach a watershed moment in its attitude to homelessness, as the death of Jonathan Corrie just metres away from Leinster House shocked the nation. Despite…
Homelessness Supplement 2019 Chai Brady speaks to Threshold about Ireland’s crippling housing crisis Renting families are not only struggling to afford their homes, but are hesitant to engage with their landlords regarding accommodation issues in fear of real or perceived repercussions, an Irish charity warns. On the frontline of the housing crisis, Threshold assists…
Homelessness Supplement 2019 Kerry Anthony (CEO Depaul Ireland) Sr Susan is a Chaplain and has volunteered with Depaul for almost two years. As part of her role she provides spiritual and pastoral support for Service Users and staff through difficult times. “I would always say, look at the person first. This is a…
The Church is at the forefront of tackling gambling addiction, but more work is needed, writes Colm Fitzpatrick It’s a rare situation in the Northern Irish political landscape where all major parties unanimously agree to tackle a social issue, but it seems that problem gambling falls suitably into this exceptional category. Often relegated to…
Michael Kelly
Greg Daly
Colm Fitzpatrick
Chai Brady