We are rapidly moving far beyond the family based on the love of one man and one woman for the good of children, writes David Quinn The Government has announced that two more referendums on the Constitution are to be held. The date of the vote will be March 8. Given that Christmas looms, this…

As the Church begins its Advent and Christmas seasons, the pastor of Gaza’s lone Catholic parish stressed the importance of stepping up one’s spiritual life amid the tragedies of war, and said the Pope’s attention to them has been a major consolation. “It is truly a tough time,” said Fr Gabriel Romanelli, an Argentinian priest…

Gina Christian Russian occupation authorities have banned the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and other Catholic ministries in occupied areas of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, according to the Church’s main communications office in Kyiv. The UGCC announced on its website December 7 that it had obtained a copy of an order signed by Yevgeny Balitsky, the Kremlin-installed…

On a recent visit to one of my parishioners I noticed a most fascinating centrepiece on the table of her front room. Underneath a protective glass dome was the most perfectly created birds’ nest. The nest was almost so perfect that I thought it had been somehow manufactured by a machine. Breda told me how…

The supermarket sound system is playing ‘Rudolfph the Rednosed Reindeer’, while at the church, we are reminded that this is Advent, the season of quietly preparing for the Nativity – and not yet Christmas itself. The contrast between what the secular culture expects of us, and what Christianity teaches, is obvious. Time was when a…

I imagine that most people reading this are saddened and appalled by the number of abortions now taking place in Ireland. We’ve gone from being one of the safest countries in the world for mother and baby, to seeing our abortion rate soar to heart-breaking numbers in just under five years. Equally saddening is the smug enthusiasm…

The idea that so-called assisted dying can be limited is a dangerous lie, writes David Quinn The Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying has been hearing expert testimony on the matter for months now, both for and against. The term ‘assisted dying’ is, of course, a euphemism. It really means assisted suicide where you administer a…

Far from being a guilt trip, Confession is a transformative process that unites us with God writes Darach Ó Maoláin I remember on one occasion I had a small-scale debate with some locals of my generation. The debate revolved around the Church and its teachings. Naturally, I defended the Church. My counterparts were vocally disregarding…

The ministry of catechist is important for evangelising modern Ireland, writes Bishop Kevin Doran As Christians, we have been invited into an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. That invitation is not just for us. We have a gift to share; we have a story to tell. But how do we go about sharing the good…

John L. Allen Jr It’s rare indeed when an American president takes part in a four-way conversation and was, arguably, the least remarkable person in the group, but such was the case in June 1975 when President Gerald Ford made a visit to the Vatican. On that occasion, Ford met Pope Paul VI, today St…