Dear Editor, I recently read your article ‘Practising gratitude’ in the Family &Lifestyle section (IC 10/03/2016). I congratulate the author, Wendy Grace because I think it is an excellent article, and it gave me a lot to think about. I liked the helpful suggestions provided by Wendy for families and indeed individuals to get into…
The stone which rolled away from the tomb of Jesus continues to roll away from every sort of grave. Goodness cannot be held, captured or put to death. It evades its pursuers, escapes capture, slips away, hides out, even leaves the churches sometimes, but forever rises, again and again, all over the world. Such is…
Dear Editor, I am concerned to learn from the paper (IC 10&17/03/2016) that Tusla, the Government’s new Child & Family Agency, is putting pressure on the Boyle Family Life Centre (FLC) to abandon its Catholic ethos. The Boyle FLC may not be the only one amongst some 600 such centres largely financed from Catholic parishes…
Holy Orders is the sacrament of apostolic ministry, writes Cathal Barry Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. As such, the Church teaches that “it is the…
“Most of the men and women of 1916 would not, I think, disapprove of the separation of Church and State”, writes Mary Kenny How would the leaders of 1916 see Ireland today? I believe they would see much of which they would approve. They would, surely, be thankful to see that poverty has so very…
Dear Editor, For over 40 years we were the fortunate parents of a beautiful son called Francis who had Down Syndrome. Francis passed away in 2013 and we will never get over our loss. We miss him so much. There isn’t a day we don’t think of Francis, quote him or reminisce amongst ourselves or…
“There are warning signs of the emergence of a growing secular zeal in this country”, writes Martin Mansergh The phrase in the Easter 1916 Proclamation least quoted in this centenary is the guarantee by the Republic of religious and civil liberty to all its citizens. While at one level sincerely intended as a reassurance to…
Dear Editor, On March 15 the Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse (Savia), presented a report at Stormont – What Survivors Want from Redress. This document, compiled by survivors, with the help of local and international experts, is a vitally important statement addressed to both Church and State. I was privileged to be invited to…
“Were you there when they crucified my Lord?” I love that old Negro spiritual and I’m reminded of it every year during Holy Week. This year as I sing it I will be thinking of the beleaguered Christian communities in the Holy Land. The verses in the hymn ask: Were you there when they crucified…
Dear Editor, Your article in regard to the Commission on the Protection of Minors (IC 17/03/2016) based on my recent interview with The Irish Catholic, confused two issues about which I had spoken. One issue was a lack of clarity around future funding of the commission and the other was the refusal by elements of…
Courtney McGrail
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Cathal Barry
Mary Kenny
Dr Martin Mansergh
Archbishop Eamon Martin