Someone at the weekend asked me if I am optimistic about the future of the Church in Ireland. I replied that I preferred to use the word ‘hopeful’. In our regular discourse, we often use the words hopeful and optimistic interchangeably. But, in the Bible hope and optimism are not the same thing. Unlike optimism,…
The latest culture war in the Church is being fought over the issue of mandatory celibacy for clergy. Those who have been agitating for a relaxation of the rules since the 1960s see an opportunity in Pope Francis considering the ordination of married men to the priesthood in the Amazon region. They see the admission…
In the Hebrew bible, when Abner is slain, King David says to his men: “Do you not realise that a great man has fallen in Israel this day?” I thought about it when news started to emerge on Friday afternoon that Seamus Mallon had died at the age of 83. Mr Mallon was indeed a…
“Every generation blames the one before,” so sang Mike and the Mechanics in the classic 1980s ballad ‘The Living Years’. There’s more than a hint of truth about that in contemporary Ireland where the order of the day is out with the old and in with the new. What is new and modern is generally…
We are all products of our backgrounds and upbringings. It’s fascinating – and often amusing – to see that the older people get the more they resemble their parents in looks, mannerisms and even attitudes and dispositions. It’s not surprising that people raised in the same family, particularly if that upbringing has been a relatively…
Have you ever wondered what it was like for Mary and Joseph to make the journey to Bethlehem? Or, for Jesus and his disciples to make the trip from the Galilee to Jerusalem? From the earliest times, Christians from all over the world have gone to the Holy Land to walk in the footsteps of…
Where I was born in Co. Tyrone, today is generally known as ‘Boxing Day’. It’s a pity that – at least in that part of Ireland – the influence of British television and culture has had the effect of erasing St Stephen from the calendar. Thankfully, in most of the rest of Ireland the day…
I’ve always loved how the Christ-child in the nativity scene is usually depicted with his arms outstretched, as if reaching out to the world. The birth of Jesus – God becoming man – is the decisive Divine intervention in human history. And yet, there is a paradox of humility and apparent weakness in the Christmas…
This weekend marks the Third Sunday of Advent – Gaudete Sunday. While Advent no longer has the penitential feel it once did, this weekend is a break from the sense of expectation and an invitation to rejoice in God’s presence amongst us. The Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord is still two weeks away,…
The Council of Priests of the Dublin Diocese has recommended a bold move that – if adopted – will see sacramental preparation move from the schools to a parish-based programme. This is how Catholic children are prepared for First Confession and First Holy Communion in most other parts of the world. The historic dominance of…
Michael Kelly