Dear Editor, In The Irish Catholic edition of March 17, I agree with Sean Ryan’s letter stating that prayers are needed for Vladimir Putin and Russia. We only have to recall the message given to the three children of Fatima by Our Blessed Lady in 1917 and showing them the consequence of serious sin in…
Editor’s Comment Pope St John XXIII was reportedly once asked by an impressed visitor to the Apostolic Palace how many people actually work at the Vatican. The Pontiff is reported to have quipped back: “Oh, about half of them”. The story is probably apocryphal, and I have since heard it said about many large organisations.…
EU diplomats have been told by Sinn Féin that Europe must prepare for the reunification of Ireland – and that the EU must take the same encouraging attitude to Irish unity as it did to the reunification of Germany. “Our European partners must be energetic and proactive in advocating for Irish unity at every opportunity,”…
Shannon Campbell The View It is not uncommon to hear people say, “I’m spiritual, not religious.” The reasons for the trend are many and varied, ranging from disillusionment with organised religion, to boredom – even laziness. According to one pre-coronavirus study, 69% of Irish people identify as Catholic, but only 34% go to church regularly.…
We are called to be more energised Christians with a stronger pastoral and missionary sense, writes David Quinn Most parishes are now holding meetings, or gatherings, to consider the future of the Church ahead of a Synod in Rome next year. In its own words, the purpose of that synod is “not to produce documents,…
Barb Farze Russian President Vladimir Putin did not invade Ukraine out of concern that NATO would encroach on his borders, but concern about “the disease of democracy that could spread like a virus, and that’s deadly for oligarchies and authoritarian rulers,” said the archbishop who serves as a “foreign minister” for the Ukrainian Catholic Church.…
When did we lose it? When did we lose that deeply-engrained, forever-sanctioned sense that however much we might disagree with each other or even dislike each other, we still need to accord each other basic courtesy, respect, and politeness? We’ve lost that, at least for the most part. From the highest levels of government to…
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…
Dear Editor, Your forthright editorial [The Irish Catholic – March 10, 2022] concerning what amounts to nothing less than a scandalous denigration of Catholic education, spoke for many. That those politicians that once came from a Catholic understanding now show their true colours are shameful. The SDLP, in particular, is showing how much there is now a deeply…
There’s currently a map of Europe on display on social media asking the question ‘Would you fight for your own country?’ Perhaps an apt question during St Patrick’s week. Portugal and Spain are on 28% and 22% respectively, and Italy on 20%” According to this geographical graphic, 38% of people in the Republic of Ireland…
Michael Kelly
Mary Kenny
David Quinn
Fr Ronald Rolheiser