Pope Francis has been to the fore of leadership efforts around the world to highlight the Christian responsibility to reach out and look after those who are fleeing war and violent conflict. For the first time in many years, the continent of Europe is seeing war raging following Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine. Every day…
Category: Opinion
The acquisition urge – and the discarding necessity…
We spend so much of our active adult lives acquiring things: and then, in the senior years, we start to realise the need to discard so much of the stuff we have accumulated. Honestly, it’s taken me more than six months to clear out my Dublin flat (to move to a smaller abode). By the…
An urgent need to address children’s smartphone use
It is great news that every primary school in Greystones has signed up for a ban on smartphones. It is a significant gesture when everyone is wringing their hands about the impact of smartphones but few are doing anything about it. It is not enough, however. There need to be familial, local, national and international…
Helping young people navigate sexuality
We need to help teenagers to recognise their own value and that of everyone else, writes Alexander O’Hara We are currently experiencing not only an environmental crisis which threatens the future existence of our species, but an anthropological crisis that threatens to reshape and redefine the very nature of what makes us human. With massive…
The false view of ‘gender’ in new SPHE programme
The government has listened to ideological campaigners instead of parents, writes David Quinn The new Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) syllabus for Junior Cycle students aged 12 to 15 in the Republic has been published by Education Minister, Norma Foley, and it is a deeply ideological piece of work that will upset many parents.…
In snub to Russia, Ukraine’s Orthodox Church moves Christmas to December 25
In a decision seen as an act of defiance towards the Russian Orthodox Church, which also has the effect of promoting closer ties with Roman Catholics and other Western branches of Christianity, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine has decided to move Christmas to December 25. Traditionally, Ukrainian Christians, the bulk of whom are Orthodox, have…
‘I fell in love with Christ’ to portray Padre Pio, says American star
Gina Christian A film making its US and streaming debut recounts the life of a beloved 20th-century saint – and the movie’s star told OSV News he “fell in love with Christ” to prepare for the part. Actor Shia LaBeouf portrays St Pio of Pietrelcina in the new drama Padre Pio, which premiered at last…
Diocesan priests deserve support and prayers
Fr John Harris OP As you already know we are in the midst of the year for prayer for vocations to the diocesan clergy. Someone asked me lately if I had a problem with this since I am religious priest. I think it is a wonderful idea and absolutely necessary. A vocation to the…
Preparing for a dearth of priests
Dear Editor, In a report by Jason Osborne [The Irish Catholic – May 11, 2023], Fr Enda Cunningham said that couples preparing for marriage should be made “aware that the Sacrament of Marriage can be celebrated in its own rite, aside from the celebration of the Eucharist”. Fr Conor McDonough OP argued that in certain…
Sexual violence report – why such high statistics?
What are we to make of the appalling report from the Central Statistics Office that a quarter of adult women in Ireland have experienced sexual violence from a partner? “The online acceptance of casual relationships must surely be a risk factor” According to the Sexual Violence Survey 2022, over half of the victims had been…
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