Catherine Corless is greatly to be admired for her work revealing the extremely distressing facts about the Tuam Mother and Baby home, and she has now told her own story in an autobiography, Belonging. Ms Corless rebuffs the suggestion, which was included in the report of the commission on Tuam, that “it was us, society,…
Category: Opinion
Church history is a story of ups and downs
The View Lack of time prevents me from doing as many talks as I once did (not to mention a worldwide pandemic.) I am not quite sure why I accepted an invitation to speak at the recent Holycross Abbey Novena but I am so glad I did. I was vaguely aware of Holycross Abbey but…
The Church must acknowledge the good side of economic growth
The target of halving carbon emissions in less than ten years will be enormously disruptive and expensive, writes David Quinn The Church is currently marking a month-long ‘Season of Creation’. It began on September 1, and ends on October 4. September 1 was the start date because Pope Francis has declared that day each year…
Critics, supporters of Vatican’s China deal have an ‘Annie Hall’ moment
Letter from Rome There’s a famous scene in Woody Allen’s classic 1977 movie Annie Hall in which he and Diane Keaton are having separate sessions with a couples’ counsellor, and their exchanges are shown on a split screen. When the therapist asks how often they’re intimate, Allen says, “Hardly ever, maybe three times a week,”…
US-Mexico border facing a ‘humanitarian crisis’
John Lavenburg As thousands of migrants congregate underneath the Del Rio International Bridge, the Archbishop of San Antonio says the archdiocese will help however possible, but he fears an already overwhelming situation for the border city will get worse. The number of migrants underneath the bridge grew to more than 8,000 last Thursday with some…
Papal trip tests limits of being a ‘pontifex’
Junno Arocho Esteves On paper, Pope Francis’ apostolic visit to Hungary and Slovakia was pretty standard as papal trips go: outdoor Masses, meeting with dignitaries, visiting poor and marginalised populations and of course, answering questions from journalists aboard the papal flight. Nevertheless, issues such as vaccine scepticism, migration, same-sex “marriage,” and denying Communion to Catholics…
Do we really believe that our prayers can stop a pandemic?
We need to pray even when that seems the most lifeless thing to do. That’s a counsel from Michael J. Buckley with which we need to challenge ourselves daily. In the face of real life, prayer can often seem like the most lifeless thing to do. What difference does prayer make? I will pray for…
Punctuation in anticipation of the synodal pathway
Notebook Synodal pathway… I am not sure whether that should be followed with an exclamation mark, a question mark or a full stop! Synodal pathway! (Exclamation mark) That could work. I am prone to overusing exclamation marks and am not quite sure why. I like them. They suggest life, a bit of fun and wonder…
Review of abortion legislation must address alternatives
Dear Editor, In September 1983 the Eighth Amendment was passed by the Irish people with 66.9% support. Despite that clear decision, a large number of pro-abortion campaigners persistently ignored that mandate, not for three years, but for more than three decades. In 2018, following a campaign in which the Irish public were misled by pro-abortion…
It’s not about celebrating Northern Ireland, but ethically remembering a painful journey
If the ecumenical service to mark the centenary of partition wasn’t political to begin with, it certainly is now. The decision by President Michael D. Higgins to refuse to participate in the ceremony has thrust what was to be a modest event centre-stage. It’s still not entirely clear why Mr Higgins felt so uncomfortable about…

Mary Kenny
Breda O'Brien
David Quinn
John L. Allen Jr.


Fr Ronald Rolheiser


Michael Kelly