Category: Comment & Analysis

Becoming a holy beggar

With the exception of scripture and a few Christian mystics, Christian spirituality, up to now, has been weak in presenting us with a vision for our retirement years. It’s not a mystery as to why. Until recently, the majority of people died shortly after retirement and so there was no need for a highly-developed spirituality…

Fr Hederman’s agenda for change

“…one single issue should be reviewed seriously, I believe. And that is the ban on contraception”, writes Mary Kenny The former abbot of Glenstal, Fr Mark Patrick Hederman, has suggested that the Church’s teachings on sexuality need to be dramatically modernised, and he has provided a list for this agenda including celibacy and the subjugation…

Church-bashing is the new Brit-bashing

Expect the Government’s Church-bashing to continue for some time, writes David Quinn Unless there is a pushback from unexpected quarters, last Friday was the last Good Friday when pubs across the nation will close. It appears the vintners have had their way because the Government has cleared the path to the pubs opening each Good…

500 years of misunderstanding

The heart has its reasons, says Pascal, and sometimes those reasons have a long history. Recently I signed a card for a friend, a devout Baptist, who was raised to have a suspicion of Roman Catholics. It’s something he still struggles with; but, don’t we all! History eventually infects our DNA. Who of us is…

Adding shades of colour to the People of God

Fr Conor McDonough OP Among the books on my shelves, one of my favourites is Ernest Klein’s two-volume Etymological Dictionary of the English Language. It doesn’t offer definitions of words, but shows their roots in other languages and periods. So the entry for the word ‘diamond’ traces it back to a Middle English word which…

More women in Church? It’s more men we need

“the male-dominated structure of the Church makes Catholicism seem old-fashioned and behind the times”, writes Mary Kenny In response to the latest census information – showing that just over 78% of people in the Irish Republic now describe themselves as Catholic (down from 84%), there have been calls to involve more women in the Church’s…