The Church teaches that Penance can take place in the framework of a communal celebration, writes Cathal Barry Like all the sacraments, according to the Church, Penance is a liturgical action. The elements of the celebration, the Catechism of the Catholic Church says, are ordinarily these: A greeting and blessing from the priest, reading the…
Dear Editor, In the Trinity College Long Room lies an original copy of the 1916 Proclamation. As I read the words that helped establish a Republic (on the Irish model) I could not help but reflect on the deep irony of parties like Sinn Féin and in particular the Labour Party calling for abortion based…
What most moves your heart? I was asked this question recently at a workshop. We were asked to respond to this question: When do you most naturally feel compassion in your heart? For me, the answer came easily. I am most moved when I see helplessness, when I see someone or something helpless to tend…
Dear Editor, Many years ago I asked a group of boys to name their favourite television show. The vast majority named The Incredible Hulk as the one that most took their fancy. In order to satisfy my curiosity I had to sit and watch a programme. The essence of what was to come was spoken…
“Our time needs credible people who can speak of God in a way that makes God real”, writes Andrew O’Connell While the rest of the country was engrossed in election tallies last Saturday morning, I was at the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin where all one hundred seats were filled for a private screening of…
Dear Editor, To cope with the diminishing and ageing celibate priesthood, there is an urgent need to lift as much as possible from some of the many liturgical duties that we expect them to lead us. Once such duty is funerals. Even in his diminishing strength and health we ask our beloved priest to come…
Dear Editor, Your news item about the death of US Supreme Court Justice, Antonin Scalia (IC 18/02/2016) gave the impression that he was an exemplary Catholic. If Catholic values are to be understood as trying to live like the compassionate Jesus of the Gospels, it is difficult to see how the late judge stood out…
Dear Editor, Mary Kenny’s piece on blind cricket commentator Dean du Plessis, of Zimbabwe, was very interesting (IC 18/02/2016). She says: “Mr du Plessis, aged 39, was born with serious tumours in his head, and it was predicted at birth that he could only live for a brief time. But he survived, had medical care…
Dear Editor, In this Year of Mercy I think it would be a good idea if the bishops of Ireland would set aside a Sunday of atonement for all the sexual, physical, emotional, spiritual, and psychological abuse carried out within our Church. How can we expect individuals to seek mercy if we the Church don’t…
It’s vital that pro-life voters set tribal loyalties aside and are willing to stand up for life, writes Editor Michael Kelly The results of the General Election are somewhat of a curate’s egg. On the one hand, we have seen the election of many deputies who are pugnacious and unapologetic about their support for the…
Cathal Barry
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Michael Kelly