Lots of people feel down in January. ‘Blue Monday’, or the third Monday in January, is often called the most depressing day of the year. However, Blue Monday was an invention of someone called Cliff Arnall, who created it as a publicity stunt for a travel agency. In the way of the internet, which manages…
Whatever its critics may say, the Church in Ireland has embraced Pope Francis’ call to reach to the peripheries and Ireland is better for it. For instance, the Church is a constant voice for migrants and the homeless, with Archbishop Dermot Farrell recently offering a stirring defence of the right of asylum seekers and refugees…
The true story of Tuam children’s home may never be known, writes David Quinn Soon enough, the Tuam children’s home will be back in the news again. Exhumation of the bodies buried there will begin and a committee to advise on the process will convene very shortly. It is now 10 years since news of…
Officials seem intent on mercy being the guiding principle, but that virtue was in short supply during pandemic writes Michael Kelly “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy” is one of the best-known of the Beatitudes taught by Jesus. It’s a good mantra to live by, and even people who mightn’t describe themselves…
Mike Lewis Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández has a tough job. Ever since he took over as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) in mid-September, the Argentine theologian has been working hard to be the doctrine chief that Pope Francis asked him to be. When Fernández was appointed in July,…
In simpler times, news was what you were given and you were happy for it. Today we can source news from anywhere while running the gauntlet of misinformation, disinformation and distortion. To avoid confusing people, what we’re told is that clear communication of factual information leads to clarity and doubts being dispelled. So why is…
Failure of Catholic college’s dialogue process raises serious questions, writes Ruadhán Jones While most institutions were winding down over Christmas, teachers and staff at Mary Immaculate Catholic college received a bombshell announcement about MIC’s “historic” dialogue with University of Limerick (UL). In an email sent December 19, MIC President Eugene Wall admitted that after almost…
Ngala Killian Chimtom As a deadly conflict continues to rage in Sudan, Catholic bishops both inside the country and in neighbouring South Sudan used their Christmas message to praise the clergy and men and women religious for continuing to serve despite the risks. “To you, our dear clergy and religious men and women, we would…
Justin McLellan While bishops may take a cautious approach to the Vatican’s guidance on blessing same-sex or other unmarried couples, they should not deny their priests the possibility of discerning and imparting blessings on people who ask for them, the Vatican doctrinal office said. “Prudence and attention to the ecclesial context and to the local…
Fr John Harris OP The movie, Silence, tells the story of how in the 17th Century two Portuguese Jesuit priests travelled to Japan in an attempt to locate their mentor whom it was rumoured had committed apostasy. Their task was to locate him to discover if this was true and if so bring him back…
Breda O'Brien
Ruadhán Jones
David Quinn
Michael Kelly
Brandon Scott