At the end of November, the Mater Private Hospital announced they were axing 95 jobs citing the fact that 170,000 insurance policy holders have cancelled their cover since 2011 and the “further erosion of resources” in the sector due to the cap on tax relief on premiums over €1,000. The reduction in patient services in…

It was enterprising for the stand-up comedian, Abie Philbin Bowman to provide unbelieving Irish people with an alternative to Sunday church-going. Abie launched his ‘Godless’ Assembly meetings in November, at the Little Museum of Dublin, and about 100 people – atheists, humanists and science enthusiasts – turned up. The idea is that those who are…

Cathal Barry reflects what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says about the interpretation of God’s Word

The Church is presented an opportunity with full pews at Christmas, writes Andrew O’Connell

Real Love is born through patience, writes Fr Ronald Rolheiser

The Church in Ireland is in maintenance mode, but what it needs is a growth strategy, writes David Quinn

Andrew O’Connell assesses the event, which closed last Sunday

Anyone familiar with the life and writings of Simone Weil will, I am sure, agree that she was a woman of exceptional faith. She was also a woman with an unwavering commitment to the poor. But, and this may seem anomalous, she was also exceptional and unwavering in a certain resistance she had towards the…

Fr Alec Reid was a man of courage who dedicated his life to peace, writes Nuala O’Loan

The Methodists pioneered the great temperance movements of the Victorian era – and were so successful at overcoming addiction to alcohol, especially among poor people who were being ruined by penny gin – that their  campaigns have had many imitators since. Even the Pioneers learned from the Methodists (and from the great Fr Mathew). So…