Fr John Harris Growing up we often sang the song ‘Take me up to Monto’, never thinking it was a real place. But a very real place it was. For over a hundred years it was said to be the largest red-light district in Europe. It is said that there was anything up to 1,600…
Dear Joseph, I have often thought of writing to you. I suppose, given the month that’s in it and that your Feast Day is recent, now might be as good a time as any. There is something very reassuring and uplifting in a letter that acknowledges a person and expresses gratitude and, that is what…
Dualta Roughneen argues that no matter which way we look at international aid or charitable giving to those living in less prosperous or more volatile countries, walking away shouldn’t be countenanced Are we suffering from an excess of empathy that creating compassion fatigue? In an increasingly globalised and interconnected world, the internet – and our…
Michael Sanfey reflects on a fast-paced first 50 days of Donald Trump President Trump’s strongest opponents could hardly deny that he has started out of the blocks of his second term at a blistering pace. A sign of this is how analysts and media commentators chose to assess his first 50 days rather than his…
A recent report in The Irish Catholic described a study by the Universities of Vienna and Sussex on spiritual boredom. When lead author, Thomas Gotz, and his team decided to investigate spiritual boredom, they discovered that there was a surprising lack of previous research. They chose five spiritual practices – yoga, meditation, pilgrimage, silent retreats…
Last weekend, a conference was held in the Clayton Hotel in Ballsbridge, Dublin, hosted by the Life Institute, Family and Solidarity, and Doctors for Life on the issue of assisted suicide. All around the world, there are moves to introduce assisted suicide, and Ireland is no different. Last year, a majority of TDs voted in…
Tánaiste Simon Harris has come to attention of Andrew Tate of all people. You might not be familiar with who Andrew Tate is, so let me explain. He is a ‘social media influencer’ with millions of followers, overwhelmingly teenage boys and young men. He promotes an extremely aggressive form of masculinity that basically tells his…
It was the summer of 2014 when I first heard the harmony. It was so flawless, I thought it must have been a recording. In fact it was the sweet sound of seminarians from St Bonaventure’s, a Francisan college, in Lusaka, Zambia, located next to the orphanage, where I was volunteering. At the time, St…
I was married on the Feast of the Annunciation, March 25, many moons ago, back in the 1970s. Friends said “You’re mad! Getting hitched at the end of the tax year – such bad timing!” I have always borne in mind, ever since, that money and fiscal policies often have quite an influence on matrimonial…
This year, the Christian churches can celebrate Easter together. But that is the exception. All efforts to find a common date have come to nothing. Bonn (KNA): The calendar provides a steep template: this year, the churches are celebrating the 1,500th anniversary of the Council of Nicea – and thus also the establishment of the…
Breda O'Brien
Maria Steen
David Quinn
Martina Purdy
Mary Kenny