There is no simple or singular story of the treatment of unmarried mothers in mother and baby homes and county homes. At the outset, I acknowledge that many former residents reject the use of the word ‘home’. The report of the commission investigating the treatment of the mothers and their children in the period from…
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin is widely – and correctly – credited with taking decisive action on the issue of child abuse. It was a point noted by his successor Dermot Farrell last week when he said: “Archbishop Martin accepted the leadership of the diocese at a challenging time in 2003. Since then, he has provided forceful…
On New Year’s Eve, RTÉ broadcast a show, ‘NYE Countdown’, hosted by Deirdre O’Kane and Kathyrn Thomas. Aengus MacGrianna, the former RTÉ newsreader, also took part, delivering a ‘Waterford Whispers’ comedy sketch in a mock newsroom. The show confirmed me in my decision – once again – to get rid of our television and stop…
Currently, we are not allowed to go to Mass again in the Republic. All public worship is effectively banned. From the end of March last year until the end of June, public worship was called off, and again in places like Donegal and Dublin from September until early December, and in the rest of the…
Fifty years ago, in 1971, a very fine Dominican priest (and philosopher), Fergal O’Connor, set up an organisation to support unmarried mothers, calling it ‘Ally’. In her autobiography, Political Woman the late Nuala Fennell, T.D. – the first minister for women’s rights – praised Fr O’Connor most especially for his pioneering and compassionate work in…
Today, the common question in spiritual circles is not, “What is your church or your religion?” but, “what is your practice?” What is your practice? What is your particular explicit prayer practice? Is it Christian? Buddhist? Islamic? Secular? Do you meditate? Do you do centring prayer? Do you practice Mindfulness? For how long do you…
Did you ever notice how days’ significance changes over the years? In my early years, those quiet days between Christmas and Epiphany had little character. One day was like another, merely time reserved for lolling around, eating sweets and watching television. Then one year my mother died, a couple of days after New Year’s Day.…
One certainly can’t accuse the Vatican of being part of what Italians call the “no vax” crowd, meaning resistance to the Covid-19 vaccines. Not only did the Vatican nip a Catholic form of such opposition in the bud recently by signing off on the morality of the vaccine, but on December 2 the Vatican announced…
Were I asked to do so, I think I would propose Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, as my Person of the Year. Leadership As the head of the operational side of the EU, she has shown leadership, grace under pressure, and when the EU-British deal was pronounced done, a cultural…
The Government should seize the moment and set a deadline for an end to homelessness writes St Stanislaus Kennedy RSC Focus Ireland has been working harder than ever this year in partnership with the State and together we have helped over 800 families to secure a home and leave homelessness behind. There has been great…
Michael Kelly
Maria Steen
David Quinn
Mary Kenny
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
John L. Allen Jr.