Dear Editor, The local and global responses to the coronavirus are interesting, in that, here we have an invisible but real threat seen by its effects. Large efforts and vast resources are being deployed to counter this. I believe Christians and the Church particularly can learn a great deal from this fervour and realisation of…
Dear Editor, I am pleased to see the result of your social media poll (IC 05/03/2020), that 85% of respondents are in favour of the Irish Church not cancelling Masses over coronavirus fears. The overall view, it was reported, is that Mass is needed now in Ireland more than ever. This response echoes the statement…
Dear Editor, I refer to the letter entitled ‘Concern about the future of Accord’ (IC 27/02/2020), which discusses “the decline in the amount of people availing of its marriage and counselling services”. We live in an age where the TV, cinema, and the printed/social media at large frequently portray marriage as a form of mere…
Dear Editor, When I first went to Jaffa, Israel, to work as a chef for an Anglican guest house a different choice of breakfast was offered each morning of the week. One of the choices was homemade pancakes, or crepes, which had to be tossed in a very hot frying pan. Some of the volunteer…
Dear Editor, Many people are uncomfortable with clapping during Mass. Cardinal Francis Arinze said: “When we come to Mass, we don’t come to clap. We don’t come to watch people, to admire people. We want to adore God, to thank Him, to ask Him pardon for our sins, and to ask Him for what we…
Dear Editor, In Catholic circles mention the words ‘torchlight procession’ and most will think of Lourdes, southern France, where Our Lady appeared more than a dozen times to a 14-year-old peasant girl, Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. In this little French town since then a public Torchlight Procession takes place every night, with pilgrims from all…
Dear Editor, It was wonderful to see over 100 people attending a Catholic retreat in University College Dublin, reported on in your paper (IC 23/01/2020). I believe universities in Ireland are a difficult place for students to openly speak about and practice their Faith, a view that is most certainly shared by many. Looking at…
Dear Editor, Regarding the front page of your paper (IC 16/01/2020), I read with alarm the decision made by authorities in Mary Immaculate College in Limerick to disallow the Certificate of Christian Ethics in Healthcare being made available. Hospital chaplains clearly showed ample interest in the development of the programme – which led to it…
Dear Editor, Fr John Harris penned an excellent article highlighting issues that need to be addressed by the Catholic leadership in Ireland (IC 16/01/2020), the importance of preaching to those “Catholics” in the pews who have yet to really listen to the Gospel and convert to Christ. And the additional lesson from the life of…
Dear Editor, It was refreshing to read your comment piece (IC 16/1/20) about the need to set aside old-fashioned political loyalties in the context of next month’s general election. Far too many people with deeply-held religious beliefs are willing to leave them at the door when they go to the polling booth. Both the main…