I have been thinking again recently about my friends, Monica Brown and Hilary Musgrave who introduced me to the whole experience of sacred clowning. Hilary and Monica lead retreats all over the world and the sacred clown ‘Naofa’ is an integral part of their unique approach to spirituality. Sacred clowning must be experienced because trying…

Tackling misogyny while promoting abortion and pornography is like fighting with one hand tied behind your back, writes Ruadhán Jones In recent months, we have had impassioned discussions on misogyny and violence against women in Ireland. However, as my colleague Jason Osborne has pointed out, there has been little in the way of soul-searching as…

The Church is asked to sell its land for housing, then blocked from doing so, writes David Quinn The Catholic Church is often asked to sell or donate some of its lands to help address the housing shortage. But now in Dublin it is being blocked in certain instances from doing exactly that. It is…

A Catholic tendency to go against the crowd in all things sometimes works against the Church, writes Jason Osborne While the rest of the world rallies around Ukraine following Russia’s violent invasion nearly three weeks ago, a not-insignificant minority of Catholics have taken it upon themselves to champion Russia’s cause. Admittedly, I write on the…

Bishop-elect Christian Carlassare, who was shot in a grisly attack at his residence shortly after his appointment as the new bishop of Rumbek, has recovered and is preparing to return to his diocese with forgiveness and a desire to work for peace in his troubled adoptive nation. A Comboni missionary, Fr Carlassare, 44, will be…

Junno Arocho Esteves As millions of Ukrainian refugees continue to flee the ongoing violence of Russian aggression, many have found some comfort in neighbouring Hungary thanks to the efforts of Caritas. Arriving in the border town of Barabás, refugees are immediately taken to the charitable organisation’s makeshift refugee centre, where they are given shelter, a…