In the Bible, the whole of salvation history is one crisis after another: expulsion from Paradise, the destruction of Babel, the Flood, exiles, and the obliteration of the monarchy. The history of the Israelites in the Old Testament – God’s Chosen People – is a story of being stripped of everything that they believed gave them…
If I were asked to preside over, or contribute to, a humanist funeral, or a “naming ceremony” for the children of non-believers, I would have to respond that I was not the appropriate person, since I am a Catholic Christian. Yet it seems that some atheists or agnostics, when asked to sponsor a child for…
Controversy around John Halligan being barred as a Confirmation sponsor has revealed serious confusion in Church practice, writes Greg Daly Minister of State John Halligan TD may not be a hypocrite but his comments last weekend about the supposed pettiness of a Church refusal to allow him act as a Confirmation sponsor point to…
Late prelate’s care for poor and marginalised will be greatly missed, writes Chai Brady The Primate of All-Ireland has honoured the late bishop of Elphin saying he lived a life of “commitment, fidelity, service and love for the people”. Archbishop Eamon Martin said he was saddened to hear about the death of Bishop Christopher…
One of the richest experiences of grace that we can have this side of eternity is the experience of friendship. Dictionaries define friendship as a relationship of mutual affection, a bond richer than mere association. They then go on to link friendship to a number of words: kindness, love, sympathy, empathy, honesty, altruism, loyalty, understanding,…
Fr Bernard Healy This Easter, as the deacon read St Luke’s account of how the women brought spices to Our Lord’s tomb on the first Easter morning, something popped into my mind. I was reminded of a radio documentary from the RTÉ website called ‘Con Carey and the Twelve Apostles’. Con was a 69-year…
Theologians and those who reflect on religion and culture often ponder to what extent Catholicism was actually ever deeply embedded in the Irish psyche. This is not an issue about religious practice or the dominant position of the Church in Irish society. Fr Oliver Rafferty SJ has observed that during the 1950s – thought by…
Dear Editor, It was heartwarming to read how the Vatican has given permission for an investigation to begin into the sanctity of Fr Ragheed Ganni and his fellow martyred clerics, opening the door to these inspirational men being raised to the altars of the Church (IC 17/5/2018). Anyone who knows anything about these men won’t…
One of the most striking Tweets I saw – in connection with the Referendum debate – was from a young man who said he was deeply “angered” to notice that so many pro-life demonstrators were women. At least he noticed that fact. It’s a point which has been either studiously ignored or entirely missed by…
The View Anyone with the slightest concern for democracy in our country should be worried by Google’s decision to ban all online advertisements for both sides two and a half weeks before the Referendum. Banning foreign ads is one thing. Giant corporate entities with no accountability deciding what Irish voters can hear and see…
Michael Kelly
Mary Kenny
Greg Daly
Chai Brady
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Breda O'Brien