Fr Kevin Mullan lived out his priesthood in the service of others writes Michael Kelly Like many people across the island of Ireland, I was sad to awake on Saturday morning to the news that Fr Kevin Mullan had died during the night. It brought to mind the words from the Second Book of Samuel:…
Category: Opinion
Education can’t be ‘value-free’ on pornography
Parents should demand to see the content of education on porn, writes Fr Chris Hayden A couple of months ago, an episode of RTÉ’s ‘Upfront’ programme with Katie Hannon caused consternation, with many viewers expressing surprise at how widespread pornography has become, and at how many children are viewing it. The facts are indeed troubling,…
Hate crime law will end up curbing free speech
Anyone who falls foul of present orthodoxies is at risk under new laws to prosecute people accused of undefined ‘hate’, writes David Quinn One of the most overused words in politics today is ‘hate’. When someone disagrees with you, it isn’t enough to simply say you are wrong. You must also be condemned as a…
Now is not a time to lose our nerve
A co-responsible Church will only thrive if priests facilitate, nurture and encourage it, writes Bishop Niall Coll The line from Scripture which I chose recently as my episcopal motto springs readily to mind – ‘Christ Jesus our hope’. It is in our shared hope, in our faith as it looks to the future, that we…
Modern papal contender invokes ancient Roman legend on abortion
Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Bologna, president of the powerful Italian bishops’ conference, comes off as a very modern figure. His roots are in the Community of Sant’Egidio, a new movement in Catholicism that dates just to 1968, and he’s a key ally of Pope Francis in his effort to promote a 21st century global Church. Yet…
Religious Freedom Commission calls out India, Nigeria and Vietnam for abuses
John Lavenburg A US-government commission tasked with monitoring religious freedom abroad has recommended the State Department designate five new countries as “Countries of Particular Concern (CPCs)” because of their engagement in, or toleration of, “particularly severe” religious freedom violations, including against Christians. In its 2023 report released on May 1, the United States Commission on…
A synod dominated by elites will do nothing to transform the Church
Wealthy Catholics in Germany seem set for a collision course with the Vatican, and the rest of the Church over their push to change basic Catholic doctrines and practices. Pope Francis has long warned of the danger of the synodal process being hijacked by elites pushing an agenda. It’s hard to think of a more…
Diminishing the value of human life
Dear Editor, Jason Osborne reported [The Irish Catholic – April 27, 2023] that pro-life politicians criticised the review of the State’s abortion law claiming that some of its recommendations violated a promise given at the time of the referendum. Mattie McGrath, for example, said “the report resembles the slippery slope that I and my colleagues warned about…
A new parish name for a family of parishes
We have a name! (Or, Habemus nomen as the cardinal who announces a new pope might put it). At last, our family of parishes has a name of its very own. Since last September, when I took up my new West Cork coastal appointment, our pastoral unit has had the somewhat unwieldy title of “The…
The sin or the sinner – a knotty question
The legendary French feminist Simone de Beauvoir has been removed from a list of female candidates to be honoured in sculpture at Trinity College Dublin’s Old Library. When it emerged that De Beauvoir, who died in 1986, was accused of grooming young female students as lovers – whom she apparently passed on to her veteran…

Michael Kelly


David Quinn

John L. Allen Jr.




Mary Kenny