Elon Musk, allegedly the richest person in the world, sometimes seems a stereotype of the eccentric billionaire. He is an extraordinary innovator in areas from neurotechnology to futuristic engineering: he has controversial views about Covid-19, thinks that Artificial Intelligence is the greatest threat to the human race, and believes we should colonise Mars. He marries…
Category: Comment & Analysis
Proposed SPHE course ‘ignores’ ethos of schools
Catholic schools’ bodies welcome developments in SPHE course, but warn it ignores ethos, writes Ruadhán Jones The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment’s (NCCA) draft SPHE curriculum for Junior Cycle has been criticised by Catholic bodies for “ignoring” schools’ rights to govern their own ethos, although they welcome developments in other areas. The Association of…
Synodal process creating confusion that the Vatican needs to address
It is not at all clear where this whole synodal process is going to end up, writes David Quinn The Vatican has just issued a new synodal working document that is now to be studied at a continental level by the Church in the coming months. This new document is a synthesis of the papers…
Irish neutrality debate deepens in light of ongoing Ukraine war
The war in Ukraine has seen questions asked of the Irish policy of military neutrality, writes Jason Osborne The war in Ukraine has seen the topic of Ireland’s military neutrality discussed with more vigour than perhaps any other time in recent history, with some arguing that the war in Ukraine has shown the need for…
Summit explores role of ethics in development of artificial intelligence
by Dennis Sadowski Universities around the world are taking steps alongside major technology companies to explore ways to bolster ethics education in the artificial intelligence field in line with an initiative supported by the Vatican. The effort seeks to help those already working or aspiring to work in the tech fields understand that the development…
Catholic leaders want ‘synodal’ Church in Latin America
by Barbara Fraser The Church in Latin America and the Caribbean is called to be a missionary Church that heeds the cry of the poor and excluded; a synodal Church where women, young people and laypeople have greater roles; and a Church that is evangelised even as it evangelises, according to the final document of…
Workaholism and greed
There’s only one addiction for which we are praised – overworking. With every other addiction, concerned others are looking to put you into a clinic or into a recovery programme, but if your addiction is work, generally it’s seen as virtue. I know of what I speak. I’m a “recovering workaholic”, and not exactly in…
Travelling on fumes
by Fr John Harris OP Notebook The recent tragic events in the village of Creeslough, Co. Donegal reminded me of a journey from a funeral I attended with two friends a long number of years ago in Donegal. We had attended the funeral of a nephew of a mutual friend and were returning to Dublin.…
It was a case of never on a Sunday…
The BBC is celebrating its centenary this year – it was founded in 1922 (Radio Éireann, the ancestor of RTÉ, came along in 1926) – and has certainly become an institution with a global outreach. Those who have worked for the Beeb, as it’s sometimes known (which included my late sister, in New York City),…
Giving in to eco-extremists would mean ordinary people could not afford fuel
The View We live in a world which can seem almost as if it is imploding. On the global front we see developments in China which are a cause of great concern as Xi Jinping cements his power; we are watching the systematic destruction of much of Ukraine by Russia; war is being waged in…
Mary Kenny

Ruadhán Jones
David Quinn



Fr Ronald Rolheiser


Nuala O’Loan