Faith means taking the long view, writes David Quinn When you read the Bible it is easy to miss important ideas when you are not concentrating. How many times have I read, or listened to someone else reading, the opening chapter of St Luke’s Gospel where the Angel declares to Zechariah that his wife,…
Christopher White In a decision that will undoubtedly create shockwaves around the globe, Cardinal George Pell, the most senior Church official to stand trial for sexual abuse, was found guilty last week by a Melbourne Court. In one of the most closely watched trials in modern Catholic Church history, after nearly four full days…
I’ve never been happy with some of my activist friends who send out Christmas cards with messages like: ‘May the Peace of Christ Disturb You!’ Can’t we have one day a year to be happy and celebrate without having our already unhappy selves shaken with more guilt? Isn’t Christmas a time when we can enjoy…
Fr Bernard Healy One of the beauties of our Faith is that it makes itself at home in every nation and culture. Whilst we all celebrate the same Christmas, we do so differently depending on the traditions and circumstances of our own place. One of my favourite Roman traditions is that of the Zampognari…
Dear Editor, The news that the Religious Sisters of Charity refuse to say whether or not they are acting in line with Church law in giving away Church property (IC 13/12/2018) is staggering. The sisters’ refusal to answer your utterly reasonable questions – refusal to say whether they have considered canon law or sought permission…
Even in a country like Ireland where the story of the Nativity is well known, the humble narrative of Christ’s birth in Bethlehem still has the power to captivate the imagination. All but the most jaded and cynical of post-Catholics surely cannot find themselves unmoved at the thought of the Virgin Mary hearing the message…
Isn’t Mullinalaghta wonderful? This small village in Co Longford raised a national cheer – and a hooray among the diaspora too – when its GAA football team beat Kilmacud Crokes to win the Leinster Football Club final last weekend. Mullinalaghta has a population of only 447 and the GAA club’s membership there is just 155…
The consciences of medical staff will be abused with a seal of approval from the Oireachtas, writes Dr Noreen O’Carroll I was very struck by the phrase “the abuse of conscience” used by Pope Francis in his apology for the abuse perpetrated on minors by members of the clergy and hierarchy; he apologised not only…
Human rights need Christian foundations, writes David Quinn This month marks the 70th anniversary of the passage of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the key human rights document of our time. This document is quoted across the political spectrum to this day. It is used and misused to advance various human…
Letter from Rome Under any circumstances, the announcement in September that Pope Francis plans to convene a summit on February 21-24 for all the presidents of bishops’ conferences around the world, along with the Vatican’s senior leadership, to discuss the clerical sexual abuse scandals in the Church would have been big news. After the…
David Quinn
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Michael Kelly
Mary Kenny
John L. Allen Jr.