In September I had the chance to visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery with some friends. We happened on the ‘Changing of the Guard’, and it was an impressive ceremony. I took out my phone to try to record but the day was bright, and I could not really see the…
Like those involved in overseeing the synodal process all along, the people who served on working groups producing proposals for this weekend’s National Assembly deserve appreciation for their efforts. Nevertheless, their proposals require close scrutiny, as the Synodal Pathway is not simply another venture in renewal, but makes the extraordinary claim of having determined the…
As many readers know, there will be a National Synodal Assembly of the Catholic Church in Ireland on October 17 in Gormanston, Co. Meath. This is the culmination of a five-year process of consultation, listening and discernment, which was launched by the Irish Bishops in 2021 with the question: ‘What does God want from the…
Was Jeffrey Archer a hugely successful author who gave harmless pleasure to millions – or an evil rogue who swindled and conned his way through life? On the death of the author on October 5, both claims have been made. Britain’s Queen Camilla expressed gratitude for the “pleasure Jeffrey brought to me and to so…
John Cleary In recent years, Irish education has rightly placed student wellbeing at the heart of the Junior Cycle experience. Schools have embraced programmes promoting resilience, emotional literacy, physical health, relationships and belonging. But in doing so, have we overlooked something? Young people do not only need help managing their emotions or coping with life’s…
“There he is!!” My friend shouted excitedly before jumping on a chair and pounding the rim of my broad sun hat. I must confess: joy was not my initial response to her exuberance. But soon I was on the chair too – eyes fixed on the man in white, zooming about St Peter’s Square. Seeing…
Synodality is a medium – it must be harnessed towards some end In 2016 the Council of Priests in the Archdiocese of Dublin commissioned a study that, when published, was entitled: ‘Projection of Position in 2030’. Among other considerations the purpose of the study was to: “estimate the number of active Priests in the Archdiocese…
At Vespers starting at 4pm this Sunday in the Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar, the Bishop of Meath, Dr Tom Deenihan, will close off the diocesan stage in the cause for the canonisation of the World War I army chaplain, Fr Willie Doyle. Fr Doyle was killed while trying to save wounded soldiers in…
When the Irish Catholic Church’s National Synod Assembly meets in Meath on October 17, some 240 individuals from every walk of life will pray and talk more about strengthening and supporting the Church’s mission. The details are many, but the underlying theme of the documents before them is the Gospel. A topic threaded throughout is…
Most of us know the feeling. A letter arrives from an insurer, an employer, Revenue or a solicitor. It is confidently written, full of unfamiliar terms, and seems to assume that you already understand the system. You read it twice. You think something is wrong, but you are not sure how to challenge it. The…
Mary Kenny
Martina Purdy
David Quinn