We have bequeathed young people a world where no one seems to know what the sexual rules are anymore, writes David Quinn There is a television series called The Affair. The name tells you what the series is about, although actually the affair itself is only a central feature in series one. After that, the…
A famous popular song, Baby, it’s Cold Outside – written in 1944 – has been banned on several American and Canadian radio networks for some time now because the male-female narrative implies a ‘lack of consent’ on the part of the female. Musically, it’s a great tune, cleverly syncopated between the male and female voice, as…
The outcomes of the October summit could have a huge impact on indigenous communities, writes Colm Fitzptrick It’s been a synod tinged with controversy over priestly celibacy and female leadership in the Church; amidst all of this, eyes were also focused on two statues stolen from a church near the Vatican and subsequently thrown in…
It’s hard to be humble, not because we don’t have more than enough deficiencies to merit humility, but rather because there’s crafty mechanism inside of us that normally doesn’t let us go to the place of humility. Simply put, as we try to be self-effacing, humble and non-hypocritical, variably we take pride in that and…
‘Baptisms, marriages likely to disappear as priests become an endangered species’ was the dramatic headline in the Irish Independent this week. There was nothing new in the story and anyone who hasn’t noticed the declining number of priests in recent decades must be living under a rock. The report quoted a member of the Association…
Dear Editor, In response to Mary Kenny’s article ‘Students of sociology – here’s a suggestion’ (17/10/19), may I introduce you to something way more empowering for women: not going back down the road of enslaving women to contraception. Instead let’s educate women with the knowledge about how their cycle works. Let’s also ask the men…
Notebook November is a reflective time as we remember our loved ones who have died. It is particularly a time of remembering those who died in war and strife. For us in Ireland, remembering our fellow countrymen who died fighting for a British army has not always been easy. In recent years we have come…
A third of Irish adults over the age of 50 report feeling lonely some of the time, according to a study carried out by Trinity College Dublin. Among those over 75, loneliness is even more prevalent. Unsurprisingly, loneliness is often accompanied by depression. A certain degree of loneliness is, I think, inevitable in the older years.…
The View All saints are extraordinary, in the sense that they manage to turn their lives and wills over to God and through his grace achieve heroic virtue. John Henry Newman is perhaps more extraordinary than most because of the extent of his natural gifts. James Joyce wrote to his long-suffering English patron, Harriet Weaver,…
Truly Catholic schools have the resources to help students tackle worries, writes David Quinn The Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, Phonsie Cullinan, has issued a letter to primary schools in his diocese cautioning them against using yoga and ‘mindfulness’, especially during religion class. He warns “yoga is not of Christian origin”, and that mindfulness…
David Quinn
Mary Kenny
Colm Fitzpatrick
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Michael Kelly
Breda O'Brien