A colleague of mine, a clinical therapist, shares this story: a woman came to him in considerable distress. Her husband had recently died of a heart attack. His death had been sudden and at a most inept time. They’d been happily married for 30 years and, during all those years, had never had a major crisis…
The Notebook Fr Conor McDonough March 8 is International Women’s Day, a day set aside for celebrating the achievements of women and campaigning in favour of equality. Recent years have focussed on celebrating pioneering women scientists and encouraging girls to choose STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) at school and university. Even…
Everything must be experienced – and understood – in context. And the context in which I remember the Birmingham bombings – when 21 mostly young people died in two Birmingham pubs targeted by the Provisional IRA in 1974 – is personal. I had just had a baby who wasn’t, in the first weeks, very well…
The View The recent four-day meeting on child protection in Rome raised very high hopes. It was almost inevitable that some of those hopes would be dashed. The Pope had articulated clearly what he wanted to do. The three themes of responsibility, accountability, and transparency were well chosen – they are key for any…
The Irish health budget comes to some €17 billion per annum. That is an astounding sum of money. We believe we have an underfunded health system, but actually, compared with the size of our population, we spend more on health than most industrialised countries. This is despite the fact that our population is younger on…
Letter from Poland Paulina Guzik During a high-profile summit on clerical sexual abuse that wrapped up at the Vatican at the weekend, the late Pope John Paul II’s response to the scandals has been cited more than once – a surprise for many, perhaps, who thought the Church began taking the issue seriously only…
Claire Giangrave Charlie Gard and Alfie Evans, two infants with degenerative diseases who died once life support was withdrawn, became global cause celebres largely due to outspoken parents raising their voice for what they perceived as the best interest of their child, demanding that every possible avenue be explored to save their lives. But a…
I’ve been both blessed and cursed by a congenital restlessness that hasn’t always made my life easy. I remember as a young boy restlessly wandering the house, the yard, and then the open pastures of my family’s farm on the prairies. Our family was close, my life was protected and secure and I was raised…
The Notebook Fr Bernard Healy “There are hundreds of churches in Rome, why on earth would you want to visit a Mormon temple?” A fair question from a fellow-priest, but the consecration of a Mormon temple on the outskirts of Rome offered a rare opportunity, because once a temple is consecrated, only Mormons in…
I was sorry to learn of the death of Limerick’s Nora Bennis on February 11, aged 78. Nora had been a defender of a woman’s right to be a homemaker, founding the Irish Mothers Working at Home Association as well as leading the Solidarity Movement which supported family and Faith values. She stood for election to…
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Mary Kenny
Nuala O’Loan
David Quinn