An air of mystery shrouds elements of the Archbishop of Dublin’s ambitious new ‘twin pillar’ strategy for the archdiocese which centres on St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral and St Andrew’s Westland Row – soon to be made a cathedral and minor basilica respectively. Archbishop Dermot Farrell pegged the two churches as being well placed to be developed…
There is a phrase that seems to send a ripple of fear through many Mass-goers these days. And it’s nothing to do with eternal punishment! Though Catholics of course should fear hell, it’s rarely mentioned. No, what appears to frighten the congregation these days is when a bishop or priest declares, after the consecration: “You…
The news that Isabel Vaughan-Spruce has received compensation in the form of a £13,000 payout and an apology from the UK police after she contested her arrests for silently praying in the vicinity of an abortion clinic as a breach of her human rights should be greeted with a degree of caution here in Ireland.…
Eduardo Campos Lima In its latest crackdown on religious groups, including the Catholic Church, the Nicaraguan government has shut down hundreds of nonprofits and declared that from now on religious bodies will have to declare income and pay taxes. Last week, the regime headed by President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo,…
Bishop Martin Hayes Each year, from September 1 to October 4, starting with World Day of Prayer for Creation the first day of September, the ecumenical family celebrates the ‘Season of Creation’. This is an annual opportunity to pause and reflect on how we care for the gift of creation. It is a special Church season…
Tyler Arnold Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich praised the boldness and the faithfulness of the Catholic Church in Africa after a pilgrimage the prelate took to the west African country Benin last week, particularly after the continent spoke out against the Vatican’s decision to bless same-sex couples last December. “The Church in Africa is a Church that…
Part 2 of a new series on Faith in modern Ireland with Eoin McCormack Have you ever found yourself in the often-awkward position in work or in another other social setting where you are somehow elected the spokesperson for all things Catholic? Over the next few weeks, this column will explore how we can better…
Notebook spend a lot of time on social media, sometimes I fear, too much time. Technology and communications have always held an interest for me so, in many ways, it is perhaps natural and understandable that I would pursue these interests and social media sits squarely in that space. For many years I have had…
When Maud Gonne MacBride – our national icon, and forever muse to Yeats – attended a socialist political meeting in London in her youth, she was dismayed by the outcome. After being addressed by Scots socialist leader Keir Hardie, the crowd of trade unionists and fiery socialists assembled in Trafalgar Square affirmed their commitment to…
It has been reported that religion was the most popular choice by secondary school students as the subject they would “like to see more of” in school. In a survey carried out by Amárach Research, religion came out top at 34% with psychology and drama “also mentioned frequently.” This is a very welcome statistic, particularly…
Chai Brady
Martina Purdy
Mary Kenny