Perhaps because Westerners tend not to take religion terribly seriously, seeing it as a private affair on par with other hobbies such as quilting or canasta, religious persecution tends to register in the Western mind only in its most spectacular form. If a bomb goes off in a church on Easter Sunday, for instance, causing…
Most of us have heard of St Thérèse of Lisieux, a French mystic who died at age 24 in 1897 and who is perhaps the most popular saint of the last two centuries. She’s famous for many things, not least for a spirituality she called her ‘little way’. What is her ‘little way’? Popular thought…
Notebook Fr Bernard Healy I always tell visitors to Rome that they should rise early on at least one morning to visit St Peter’s Basilica when it opens, because that’s when it attracts pilgrims rather than tourists. So it was that I met an American friend and her family there just as the bells were…
When the history of Ireland in the decade of 2010-2020 is written, one picture will surely dominate: the photograph of thousands cheering outside Dublin Castle as the results of the abortion referendum were announced. Some participants were, literally, dancing in the streets. The picture has already illustrated the front cover of David McWilliams’ recent history…
The View I have always found the New Year to be a very poignant time. The old year always seems very precious, as I remember wonderful moments and recall again those who have left us to go home to the Father who loves us all. The New Year seems but a moment yet to come, with…
Both conservatives and liberals misunderstand what reform is, Austen Ivereigh tells Chai Brady Respected Papal biographer Dr Austen Ivereigh has discussed criticism in Ireland of Pope Francis regarding his efforts to reform the Church, saying not all profound, positive change is solely doctrinal. Reacting to former Irish president Mary McAleese’s critique of the Pope’s efforts…
It’s unfair to say that all deaths in World War I were futile, writes David Quinn The World War I drama 1917 took away two of the big prizes at the annual Global Globe awards at the weekend, namely Best Picture and Best Director. To judge from the reviews so far, it is a wholly…
The greatest threats to Christianity come not from the right but from the left, writes Dr Tom Finegan A noticeable feature of recent public theological discourse is a readiness to criticise causes of the right. Take two high-profile pronouncements, those of Fr Michael Mullaney and of Anglican Archbishop Michael Jackson. Shortly before Christmas they criticised…
Our politicians should exhibit more grace to one another and also receive grace from the rest of us, writes Fr Martin Magill Grace is perhaps one of the greatest of God’s gifts. It is truly “amazing” as exemplified in John Newton’s famous hymn ‘Amazing Grace’, so loved in all Christian traditions and beyond. Grace is the…
There’s fatigue heading into 2020 in the US, but also cause for a bit of optimism, writes Christopher White One year ago, the US bishops gathered at Chicago’s Mundelein Seminary for a historic retreat initiated by Pope Francis in response to the latest round of the clergy abuse scandals. Some months earlier, the leadership…
John L. Allen Jr.
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Mary Kenny
Nuala O’Loan
Chai Brady
David Quinn