A Catholic with a properly formed conscience cannot vote for abortion, writes David Quinn Can a Catholic in good conscience vote in favour of abortion? This was the question put to the new Bishop of Raphoe, Alan McGuckian, on Morning Ireland last week. Bishop McGuckian was speaking about the bishops’ latest statement on the…
Martin Mansergh The View Following the recent acute and unseasonal cold spell, a photograph appeared on the front of the Tipperary Star showing a winter scene of the centre of Thurles, taken from the bridge over the River Suir, with the caption (anonymous): “A snowflake is one of God’s most fragile creations, but look…
Last week the Sunday Times reported that the Government may change the wording of the proposed abortion legislation. The Citizens’ Assembly and the Oireachtas Committee recommended that abortion be allowed where there is a “risk” to the life or health of the mother – including mental health. Now, there are rumours that the Government may…
The poet, Rumi, suggests that we live with a deep secret that sometimes we know, then not, and then know again. That’s a good description of faith. Faith isn’t something you nail down and possess once and for all. It goes this way: sometimes you walk on water and sometimes you sink like a stone.…
Dear Editor, I am commenting on the recent resignation of Bishop McAreavey because of his having been criticised for offering the funeral Mass for a priest who, according to the secular media, was “a known paedophile”. Paedophilia is an abomination before God. The trauma caused to victims – physical, psychological, spiritual and social – is incalculable, often resulting…
Fr Bernard Healy The Notebook Pope Francis has me worried! At a recent Public Audience he reminded preachers to prepare homilies well and told us that they “should not last more than 10 minutes, please”. Whatever conclusions my congregation might reach about how well-prepared my homilies are (I try, honestly!), long-windedness on a Sunday…
Sometimes it’s hard to believe that it has been five years since the dreary rainswept evening when the little-known Archbishop of Buenos Aires appeared on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica having just been elected as Pope Francis. Dressed in a simple white cassock and introducing himself to the world with an almost faltering buona…
Toddlers are criminals. At least they would be if they were not below the age of criminal responsibility. If they were held to the same standards as the rest of us, the police would be overwhelmed with reports of toddler-related public disorder, affray, criminal damage, riot and assault. If charged with such crimes, most toddlers…
It is very cheering to hear that during last week’s great snow event so many people acted in a helpful and neighbourly way, and were particularly aware of looking out for the elderly. Yet this can be a delicate question – how to be kind to the elderly – and there is sometimes a fine…
The View As I have listened and watched the arguments for abortion in Ireland, north and south, I have been moved to wonder about all the women who have been unable to conceive a child, or whose babies died in the womb before they were born, and about those whose children were stillborn. How…
David Quinn
Maria Steen
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Michael Kelly
Mary Kenny
Nuala O’Loan