Whenever, as a youngster, I got involved in some prank, mischief or general boldness, the Loreto nuns would have recourse to the reprimand that I was just “looking for attention”. I was, they would say, just a “notice-box”. Bless them – how little did they realise what the future held, and into what age we…
It is an iron law of nature that any species which fails to reproduce is doomed to extinction. The same goes for nations, and whole civilisations. Western civilisation is now several decades into a downward spiral of declining birth rates, and its future is profoundly uncertain. For a modern society to maintain a stable population,…
Everything must be done to ensure no repeat of the riots in Dublin, but first we must fully understand what happened, writes David Quinn Everyone was horrified by the scenes that unfolded in Dublin city centre on Thursday evening. It was an event that will be talked about and analysed for a long time to…
It’s easy to use the right words in development while people with disabilities remain overlooked, writes Dualta Roughneen This coming December 3 marks International Day of Persons with Disabilities. It was instituted in 1992 by the United Nations, to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilise support for the dignity, rights and well-being of…
When you’re talking about the Catholic Church, you need to be awfully careful about using the word “unprecedented” to describe any new development. This is an institution with more than 2,000 years of history, which has seen just about every vicissitude imaginable, and its opposite, over that span. As the late Cardinal Francis George of…
Ngala Killian Chimtom A leading bishop in the Republic of the Congo has warned that an exponential rise in Christian Pentecostalism in the country is posing a stiff challenge to the Catholic Church, drawing people away amid what he described as “guerilla warfare” in the spiritual realm. “They disrupt the faith of Catholics by…
It hasn’t been a great week for ‘Team Ireland’, as successive governments have dubbed Ireland’s overseas diplomatic and trade efforts. Last week I observed in this column that “modern Ireland, for all the opportunities and good things, is also a sad, frightened, angry and unhappy place. “Naming this truth is the first step to healing…
Dear Editor, Effective Catholic education within Ireland is dependent on, amongst other things, the presence of third level theology departments who can provide training for a Catholic laity who are going to be ever more important in the 21st Century Church. In that regard, the ongoing failure to appoint a Head of Theology in Mary…
I heard someone at a wedding Mass introduce the Scripture passage to be read as: “A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Theologians” – I smiled! In fairness, the reading was perfectly delivered, and the message was a solid and apt addition to the celebration. I wondered afterwards what might St Paul…
Ryan Tubridy is a polished broadcaster, and I wish him success with his new London-based job with Virgin Media, where he will present a morning radio show from 10am until lunchtime, starting in January. After leaving RTÉ, he has embraced his new role with the right attitude: pick yourself up, dust yourself down, and start…
Mary Kenny
David Quinn
John L. Allen Jr.
Michael Kelly