“The big challenge for the faith community is to welcome these young children who seek to be full members of the Church”, writes Fr Martin Delaney

“There is simply nowhere for Catholics who are serious about the defence of marriage and the right to life of the vulnerable to go”, writes Editor Michael Kelly

“if families want to make a big fuss about First Holy Communion – including a certain amount of bling and other manifestations of carnival culture – let them”, writes Mary Kenny

The Programme for Government provides plenty of challenges, writes David Quinn

Experts in religious education are uneasy about a proposed new primary school course in religions and ethics, Greg Daly discovers

Pope Francis is offering a fresh vision for Europe, write Martin Schulz and Jean-Claude Juncker

The Church teaches that, by ordination, one is enabled to act as a representative of Christ, writes Cathal Barry

“Ireland has traditionally had an enviable reputation for raising human rights concerns at home and abroad”, writes Editor Michael Kelly

“Equality can make things more complicated in practice, however just it seems in principle”, writes Mary Kenny

“It is no coincidence that the move to normalise buying and selling sex came from those who work as pimps”, writes Breda O’Brien