The View When The Irish Catholic is published this week, there will be just 18 days before abortion is imposed on Northern Ireland by the Westminster Parliament, unless the Northern Ireland Assembly is reformed by October 22. This will happen against the wishes of the elected MPs who take their seats in the House of…
Category: Opinion
Truth and lies over euthanasia
We shall be hearing more about the euthanasia issue over the coming times, and the case for legalising what is euphemistically called ‘assisted dying’. Actually, every human being should be ‘assisted’ in their dying hours, in that they should be surrounded by comfort, care – both spiritual and physical – pain relief, and fellowship on…
Funding the death of the ‘black babies’
Ireland now backs abortion in the developing world, writes David Quinn Most readers of this paper will remember a time when we used to have collections for the ‘black babies’. As insensitive as that term is by today’s standards, the intention behind the collection was good. We wanted to help African children in war-torn…
Forgetting to enjoy our culture’s fruits
Threats to Lyric FM endanger a heritage that should be especially dear to Catholics, writes Rachel Sherlock It has emerged of late that RTÉ is allegedly considering the future of their classical music station Lyric FM in light of their ongoing financial crisis. While we will have to wait for the coming weeks to…
More support not criticism needed for Greta Thunberg
If I had the chance, I’d be yelling in the UN as well, writes Emma Tobin In the wake of her caustic speech at the United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York City, Greta Thunberg has been the focus of intense international applause. Following the huge success of her global climate strike, with four…
Pope commends nuns for ‘standing on front line’ against human trafficking
Letter from Rome Speaking to a network of religious sisters that helps human trafficking victims, Pope Francis last Thursday told them to work closely with the local Church, because this is necessary for their project to be successful. “I want to reiterate that the journey of consecrated life, both female and male, is the path…
Proposed changes to UK surrogacy law would ‘demean pregnancy’
Proposed changes to Britain’s surrogacy laws would lead to the “further demeaning of pregnancy”, according to the leading Catholic bioethics centre in the country. Under current UK law, commercial surrogacy – that is, the hiring of a woman to bear a child for another person or couple – is illegal, although ‘altruistic surrogacy’ is not.…
Creating and holding space for our brokenness
Some years ago I went on a weekend retreat given by a woman who made no secret about the fact that not being able to have children constituted a deep wound in her life. So she offered retreats on the pain of being unable to have children. Being a celibate and not having my own…
Our Faith says the Devil is real
Dear Editor, On reading Fr Collin’s article (IC 26/09/19)) on the re-introduction of the prayer to St Michael after Masses in our churches, I was forcibly reminded of a recent report in your paper that the Head of the Jesuit Congregation has openly declared that Satan is not a real person but a metaphor for…
Remembering my mother as a woman of profound Faith
My dear mother Ann died peacefully at 3.37am on Sunday, September 22. I was blessed to be with her at the time, and while I never thought I would describe it as such – it was a beautiful grace. In the days that have passed so many people have been so kind and gracious in…

Nuala O’Loan
Mary Kenny
David Quinn




Fr Ronald Rolheiser

Michael Kelly