‘Goodwill to all’ is one of the key messages of Christmas and maybe particularly relevant in this year of Covid-19 restrictions. Social community In all my life, of over seven decades, I don’t think I’ve lived more separated or detached from a social community. Sometimes, it seemed, it was as if all of us had…
The View Christmas is upon us. After a year which has been so strange, we look forward to celebrating the birth of our Saviour, the baby Jesus. For most of us it will be, and has been very different this year. Normally on the final Saturday before Christmas the St Vincent de Paul in Ballymena…
Some computers can think things through better than the cleverest of people, this has implications, writes David Quinn The big scientific story of the year has, of course, been the development of various vaccines designed to protect us from Covid-19. But longer term perhaps the even bigger one has been the development by a company…
Paul Healy The entire world is hurting from the Covid-19 crisis, but it’s in places like Somalia where you see how the pandemic is tipping people who were already desperately poor over the edge. Somalia is a country already struggling due to conflict and the awful impact of climate change. Now a global pandemic has…
Letter from Rome Like everyone else, Pope Francis’ 2020 was dominated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Lockdowns, livestreamed Masses, video messages and even something akin to Zoom meetings became a regular part of his life, just like for millions of people around the world. But when he walked alone into St Peter’s Square March 27 for…
What does Christmas mean? Christmas is like a perfectly-cut diamond twirling in the sun, giving off an array of sparkles. Here are just some of its meanings: A four-year-old child woke up one night frightened, convinced that there were all kinds of spooks and monsters in her room. In terror she fled to her parents’…
O little town of Bethlehem How still we see thee lie Above thy deep and dreamless sleep The silent stars go by Yet in thy dark streets shineth The everlasting light The hopes and fears of all the years Are met in thee tonight. We all have our favourite Christmas carols. My own is probably…
Notebook One of the most moving moments of my first four years of priesthood was celebrating the Vigil Mass of Christmas in a homeless shelter for women run by the Legion of Mary. When I was preaching the sermon, I casually mentioned that Jesus was born into homelessness. I thought it was a totally normal…
Dear Editor, As all Christians know the birth of the baby Jesus is the reason for the festive season. Indeed without Christ there would be no Christmas. However, our society has now become so secular that Jesus is increasingly not invited to his own birthday party. How can so called Christians send a secular Christmas…
Is fairness too much to ask for when it comes to debating what remains a contentious issue, asks Brendan O’Regan At this time of year we’re turning our minds to that special baby in the manger, and so it seemed particularly crass that Newstalk chose to raise again the issue of abortion on Thursday December…
Mary Kenny
Nuala O’Loan
David Quinn
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Michael Kelly
Brendan O’Regan