When we were growing up, there were certain things that were so taken for granted we didn’t even think about it, such as that every baby would be baptised, and that later in childhood they would make their First Holy Communion followed by Confirmation. Most of us would go on to marry, and when we…
It’s been ninety-five years since Bill Gribbin was baptised and he is not only living out his Christian mission, as father, grandfather and great grandfather, but as sacristan of St Michael’s The Archangel parish in Belfast. Observing him prepare the altar and the incense for a requiem mass last week, it occurred to me, he…
Maria Steen was blocked from the presidential election because the political establishment feared that she would win the arguments and potentially the presidential election. Maria is a bright, intelligent and articulate woman who would have made a big impact. More importantly she has a backbone and will stand up for what she believes in. That…
Many people will know us from the Word Magazine, Christmas Cards and our Lenten and November appeals at Donamon Castle and Kairos Communications and our Language School at Maynooth. Founded by St Arnold Jannsen, in Steyl, Holland, we have been sending young Irish missionaries abroad since 1938 from our Donamon House in Co. Roscommon. Initially,…
Self-help manuals are big business today (a book called Let Them continues to be a leading best-seller). One of the most interesting self-help philosophies, I’ve found, is Stoicism. Deriving from the classical world of Greece and Rome, the counsel of Epictetus, Seneca and Marcus Aurelius encourage us to accept what we cannot change and focus…
Last week, a very unusual package, no, ‘unusual’ is not the word, a sinister and menacing package arrived by post at the office of the Iona Institute in Dublin city centre. It looked innocent enough, but upon opening it, some kind of white powder poured out on my desk, hands and floor. I guessed immediately…
Ceann Comhairle, Verona Murphy, recently talked about the vast increase in threats to politicians. This includes intimidation to the extent that the police advised one politician to avoid venturing into the city centre and instead to stay in the environs of Leinster House. Ms Murphy also talked about fake profiles being set up online purely…
‘The gloves are off’ writes Senator Ronan Mullen with a government that refuses to ever acknowledge concerns or admit mistakes …leaves very little room for trust Over 2.5 million viewers on X heard Late Late Show host Patrick Kielty reassure fellow chat show host Jimmy Kimmel that “this is Ireland and you can say whatever the…
We’re killing the unborn, the elderly with few controls It is very hard to work out what the UK or Ireland’s values are now. Once Ireland was described as the land of saints and scholars, once there was a fundamental acceptance that human life was to be preserved and protected, save in the execution…
Who were the 75% that said no to the family and care referendums? Have the government parties lost confidence in their offering and their politics? After a decade of consensus and coalition building, the overwhelming defeat of the apparent centrist position in the 2024 family and care referendums provided a bloody nose to the…
David Quinn
Martina Purdy
Mary Kenny
Breda O'Brien
Senator Ronan Mullen
Nuala O’Loan