What we now refer to as the patriarchy was only too well aware of the dangers of toxic masculinity, writes David Quinn A teacher was sacked recently from Eton College in England, the country’s poshest school. His error? To post his ruminations on the topic of the ‘patriarchy’ on the internet and to leave it up…
When I was a child, New Year’s Day was very special. Our family always had a big celebration, complete with a number of rituals. The rituals began already on New Year’s Eve. We didn’t go out that evening, but stayed in and celebrated together as a family. Everyone stayed up until midnight and, just before…
For Catholics, true human freedom is possible only inasmuch as reason and will participate or share in God’s wisdom and providence writes Fr Kevin O’Reilly OP In recent times in Ireland and elsewhere, the legal protection for the unborn has been removed. Same-sex marriage has received constitutional recognition, and now there are moves to legalise…
Notebook As this difficult year, characterised by social distance and disconnection, comes to an end I’d like to share a story which created a wonderful memory and celebrates the power of connection. Andy and Sarah Lawrence live in England near Buxton in the beautiful Derbyshire Dales. Andy’s family roots are in the parish of Rathdowney…
Dear Editor, I was pleased to see that you will – please God – again start bringing pilgrims to the Holy Land in 2021. My husband and I were part of the trip three years ago and it had a very moving impact on our Faith and helped us appreciate the scriptures in a new…
An old Irish superstition is that at the stroke of midnight on December 31, those seeking good luck were recommended to enter their house through the front door and leave through the back. It’s not obvious to me how that particular custom arose, but like many superstitions the origins are clouded in a combination of…
In choosing the new Archbishop of Dublin, the Vatican is signalling that much-needed reforms are on the agenda writes Michael Kelly Archbishop Diarmuid Martin – who steps down today (Tuesday) as leader of the country’s largest diocese – is widely, and correctly, credited with taking decisive action on the issue of child abuse. It was…
‘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…
David Quinn
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Michael Kelly
Mary Kenny
Nuala O’Loan