The latest sitting was far from neutral, writes David Quinn
Category: Opinion
Worrying about the end of the world…
People are forever predicting the end of the world. In Christian circles this is generally connected with speculation around the promise Jesus made at his ascension, namely, that he would be coming back, and soon, to bring history to its culmination and establish God’s eternal kingdom. There have been speculations about the end of the…
Cultivating a sense of alienation
John Reid In a blistering editorial comment this week, the Irish Independent criticised the Catholic Church (which has patronage over about 90% of primary schools in the Republic) for its response to the current Government’s draft programme on education about religious beliefs and ethics, even suggesting that a failure to dilute or scrap the ethos…
Pope’s visit is a chance for healing
Dear Editor, The confirmation from the Taoiseach that Pope Francis looks set to visit Ireland in 2018 for the World Meeting of Families is immensely heartening, even if it’s difficult to imagine what Pope Francis thought of his meeting with Mr Kenny. Five years ago the Taoiseach made a brief global name for himself through…
A minister unfit for purpose
Dear Editor, Mary Kenny is to be congratulated on her article when she asks the question: “Is Katherine Zappone fit for her Government job?”, and also to Elizabeth Twomey, in a follow up letter. Minister Zappone was a commissioner with the Irish Human Rights Commission (2002-2012) and has held leadership positions in the NWCI and…
Safe public water has to be paid for in some way
“Making enough plastic to satisfy the US water market takes 17 million barrels of oil”, writes Breda O’Brien
The perils of waking the dead
A 14-year old girl in the UK, dying of cancer, was awarded by court the right to have her body frozen after her death, so-called ‘cryogenic freezing’. The girl, who has since died, wants the possibility of being raised from the dead if science ever allows this, even if that is still hundreds of years…
The dangers in being a warrior prophet
A prophet makes a vow of love, not of alienation. Daniel Berrigan wrote those words and they need to be highlighted today when a lot of very sincere, committed, religious people self-define as cultural warriors, as prophets at war with secular culture. This is the stance of many seminarians, clergy, bishops, and whole denominations of…
Remembering the dead this November
Finola Kennedy November is the month of the Holy Souls. It is a time when we pray for the dead, and many visit the graves of their loved ones. But cemeteries attract visitors for other reasons too. A cemetery might seem an unlikely tourist attraction but Glasnevin has been drawing increasing numbers especially following Aoife…
Catholics should welcome Trump
Dear Editor, While some Catholics have expressed reservations about the election of Donald Trump as the next President of the US due to his brash campaigning style, I would argue that when it comes to policies rather than personality Mr Trump’s victory should come as a huge relief to practising Catholics. In contrast to the…