Ivana Moral, aged 48, is a Spanish housewife who, earlier this month, made history in the Spanish courts. During the course of her divorce, Judge Laura Ruiz Alamino, awarded Senora Moral the sum of €204,624 in recognition of her having been a dutiful housewife for 25 years, and a mother of two who took care…

I wonder how women really feel, deep down, about their membership of the Church in Ireland. The synodal pathway process has challenged us all to discern how we live as Church in the future. The Pope was very clear that this was not intended to be a comprehensive review of doctrine, rather it is about how we…

When Pope Francis came to celebrate Mass in the Phoenix park, myself and my family were among the thousands who braved the elements to see him. I remember the Pope’s visit as being quite contentious. I was in college at the time and some of my classmates were sharing posts on social media threatening to…

In my mind, Pope Francis’s 2018 visit is inextricably connected to the then recent referendum defeat. I had only come into active engagement with the Faith as the vote drew near, and while it didn’t go our way and ushered in a dark new era, it brought Christians of all stripes together as little has…

Almost 40 years since he was a Jesuit priest studying in Ireland, Pope Francis’ return visit for the World Meeting of Families on August 25, 2018 was highly anticipated. Being in the small crowd of journalists waiting on the airstrip for the arrival of the Pope’s plane – affectionately dubbed by the media ‘Shepherd One’…

Justin McLellan Many of the 40 international trips Pope Francis has made over the past 10 years have been to countries where Christians are a minority or where he can draw close to people on the fringes of the world’s attention. The Pope always “chooses the peripheries”, said Andrea Tornielli, editorial director of the Vatican…

Over his decade-long papacy, Pope Francis has reinvigorated Catholic-Muslim relations through authentic friendships and a focus on shared concerns such as basic human rights, immigration and environmental care, two interfaith experts have insisted. “I think in many ways he has brought new life and a breath of fresh air to Muslim-Catholic dialogue,” said Imam Saffet…

Over the past 10 years, Pope Francis has moved Jewish-Catholic relations forward in profound ways, interfaith experts have said – with much of the credit going to the Pope’s long-standing friendships with Jewish leaders such as Rabbi Abraham Skorka. “When Pope Francis reflects on any Jewish matter, along with his knowledge, undoubtedly the affections forged…

Carol Glatz Pope Francis has held up two recurring images the past decade: the good shepherd who looks for the lost sheep, and who lays down his life to defend and save them; and the good Samaritan, who did not ignore, pity or judge the wounded traveller, but helped him without asking for anything in…

Carol Glatz Right from the start, upon his election, Pope Francis presented a whole new style of being pontiff. The way he spoke to the vast crowd after his election March 13, 2013, was familial and down-to-earth, beginning with, “Brothers and sisters, good evening,” and ending with “We’ll see each other soon!” and “Have a…