Political parties determined to promote their ‘progressive credentials’ are intent on stoking fears of an imaginary Catholic threat to their vision of a secular Ireland, writes David Mullins From 2012 to 2017 the decision to relocate the National Maternity Hospital at Holles Street to a site on the Elm Park campus of St Vincent’s Hospital…
Chimeras are moving out of the stories and into the world with the latest scientific advances but they appear no less monstrous, writes Jason Osborne Chimeras once stalked the landscape of legend and myth. In Greek mythology they were one of the more famous kinds of monster, composed of the parts of more than one…
Letter from Rome Perhaps no one was as startled this week when a 46-year-old woman was placed under house arrest for aggravated theft from a small church in the far southern Italian province of Reggio Calabria as the woman herself. Her name hasn’t been released by Italy’s military police, who made the arrest, but they…
As the Catholic Church in different countries begins various synodal processes, the conference of Latin American bishops could not stay behind, and has launched its own Ecclesial Assembly. Pastoral plan “Did you know that our Latin American Church is calling together the 377 million Catholics in 46 countries of the continent to discern a joint…
Imagine a young couple intoxicated with each other in the early stages of love. Imagine a religious neophyte in love with God, praying ecstatically. Imagine an idealistic young person working tirelessly with the poor, enflamed with a thirst for justice. Are this young couple really in love with each other? Is that religious neophyte really…
Notebook As our parishes prepare again for the return to public worship, albeit in a limited format, we are thankful for this progress and the opportunity it affords us to gather as communities of faith. Truly we will celebrate that togetherness and rebuild, week by week, on the strong foundation that remains at the heart…
Truly, one of the great achievements of modern medicine is the treatment of babies in the womb. An unborn baby with a tumour on her lung – spotted by a routine ultrasound scan at 19 weeks – can now have corrective laser treatment surgery which saves her life. Prof. Basky’s work is a testament to…
The View Since the abortion referendum passed, there has been a concerted effort by abortion proponents — including the Government — to restrict the freedom of expression of pro-life supporters. Peaceful prayer vigils outside hospitals are likened to violence and there are moves to ban them. Not content with this, it now seems that even…
Ireland is facing a trifold housing crisis, in terms of homelessness, rent eviction and affordability, writes Ruadhán Jones On Friday April 23, the national ban on evictions from homes in the rental market was lifted. Housing charities and experts have warned of a potential “eviction crisis” as a result, as effects of Covid on jobs…
The Pope is putting greater faith in the local Church and does not believe that the magisterium must intervene to settle every doctrinal, moral and pastoral dispute, writes Fr Declan Marmion SM The Catholic Church is typically structured as a pyramid – the Pope at the top, people at the base. Pope Francis wants to…
John L. Allen Jr.
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Mary Kenny
Maria Steen
Ruadhán Jones