Many news reports and discussions in recent days have commented and paid tribute to the influence and legacy of Pope Francis. He was a steadfast defender of the right-to-life of the unborn child, though more often than not, in death as in life, his remarks referencing the pro-life issue didn’t receive the media attention that…
‘Man and woman he created them’, the Bible tells us. And now it seems that the UK Supreme Court agrees. Last Wednesday, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the terms ‘women’ and ‘sex’ in the UK Equality Act refer to biological – and not legal – sex in the landmark case For Women Scotland brought against Scottish…
There is a very beautiful walk around Lough Talt in Co. Sligo. It is called the ‘Loop Walk’ and covers just over 8km. The first part of the walk is a steep incline that tests all but the fittest but, once crossed, leads to a wonderfully breathtaking view of Lough Talt. The ‘loop’ continues along…
Three years ago this week, on the April 20, 2022, a group of 38 teachers, lecturers and students from various schools and colleges in Ireland left the Villa Palazzola in the Roman hills in the early hours of the morning to beat the rush-hour traffic. We had been invited to a private audience with Pope…
Pope Francis was a widely beloved personality, and it was graceful to see even some Unionist politicians pay tribute to the Holy Father. His memoir, Hope, co-written with Carlo Musso, was an enjoyable read and brought an insight into Francis’s thinking and influences. Growing up in a poor barrio of Buenos Aires, he learned to…
Pope Francis was famous for his love of the Tango – and indeed hundreds of couples performed this Latin dance in St Peter’s Square to mark his 78th birthday in 2014. But Francis later confessed he had a preference for the Milonga – a faster, more intense version of this amazing dance, which is perhaps…
Mercy and compassion “Mercy is the true power that can save humanity and the world from sin and evil. Love makes us draw closer to others, it is the soul of faith, it makes faith fruitful. Without love, faith dies. Mercy is the very foundation of the Church’s life; all of her pastoral activity should…
The role of women in the Church is contentious, even among Catholic women. Some believe that women will never be truly equal in the Church unless they are admitted to the ordained priesthood. Some emphasise women’s primary roles within family and parish settings. Others advocate for greater inclusion of women’s voices at all levels of…
When Jorge Mario Bergoglio first appeared on the balcony of St Peter’s in March, 2013, we knew we were going to be dealing with a different style of papacy. He appeared before the world in simple white, rather than the more ornate vestments of his predecessors and gave the crowd below a simple wave. He…
Pope Francis’s passing comes during the 10th anniversary of the publication of his groundbreaking encyclical Laudato Si’ – On Care for our Common Home – which examined Catholic environmental teaching in the light of today’s planetary crisis. Over the past 10 years, Pope Francis’s leadership has borne initiatives that have transformed the Catholic Church into…
Eilis Mulroy
Mary Kenny
Martina Purdy
Breda O'Brien
David Quinn