Dear Editor, Despite deep disquiet, expressed in a recent National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) public consultation, it is now almost certain, that a new intensified mandatory sex-education programme will be imposed upon schools. It will be part of an expanded SPHE module. This is the third wave of sex-ed programmes, each of which…
Editor’s Comment One of the great sadnesses shared with me when I speak at parish missions and novenas around the country is the absence of young families. Often a grandfather and grandmother will be there with cheerful grandchildren, and at the cup of tea afterwards will share their dismay that their grown-up children – the…
It’s an old saying that ‘England’s difficulty is Ireland’s opportunity’ – and an entirely understandable one given our mutual history. Too often Britain ignored the woes of Ireland and their responsibilities towards those woes: Ireland often had to take whatever opportunities were available. But in these days, I rather wonder if the phrase should be…
The View It’s the media’s job to report bad news about the Church. For decades, they were too deferential. They should continue to highlight the truth about the Church, particularly the unpleasant truths. Yet it is not unreasonable to wish for some balance. It would be pleasant to occasionally see a good news story about people…
Moral choiches are not always as clear-cut as we might like them to be, writes David Quinn I remember it very well. I was in junior school at the time and our teacher, Mrs O’Leary, was very excited when she told us the news that victims of a plane crash in the Andes had been found…
Recent cases have seen more questions asked about Belgium’s permissive euthanasia laws than ever before, writes Jason Osborne As the Irish bishops warn in their ‘Day for Life’ message that Ireland’s elderly feel “worried” when they hear talk of legislation for assisted suicide and euthanasia, Belgium is making its way through its 20th year since…
by Cindy Wooden The Second Vatican Council was the universal Catholic Church’s response to God’s love and to Jesus’ command to feed his sheep, Pope Francis said, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the council’s opening. The council reminded the Church of what is “essential,” the Pope said: “a Church madly in love with its Lord…
Fifty years ago, on an overcast, cold, Autumn day in the gymnasium of the local public high school, I was ordained to the priesthood. Beyond the grey sky, another thing marked the event. This was a tender season for my family and me. Both our parents had died (and died young) within a year and…
Editor’s Comment In England and Wales, churches and other places of worship have been included in taxpayer-funded programmes aimed at easing the rising cost of fuel. Most places of worship are large and, particularly in the case of churches, were built at a time when insulation and energy efficiency were not priorities. In short, they…
We have just passed the significant milestone of 60 years since the opening of the Second Vatican Council by Pope St John XXIII on October 11, 1962. In his inaugural speech that opened the Council, Papa Roncalli mapped out the way in which the Church intended to “bring herself up to date where required” in…
Michael Kelly
Mary Kenny
Breda O'Brien
David Quinn
Fr Ronald Rolheiser