Category: Opinion

What of our own unrecognised martyrs

Dear Editor, It was heartwarming to read how the Vatican has given permission for an investigation to begin into the sanctity of Fr Ragheed Ganni and his fellow martyred clerics, opening the door to these inspirational men being raised to the altars of the Church (IC 17/5/2018). Anyone who knows anything about these men won’t…

It’s the maternal instinct

One of the most striking Tweets I saw – in connection with the Referendum debate – was from a young man who said he was deeply “angered” to notice that so many pro-life demonstrators were women. At least he noticed that fact. It’s a point which has been either studiously ignored or entirely missed by…

Marinating in media manipulation

The View   Anyone with the slightest concern for democracy in our country should be worried by Google’s decision to ban all online advertisements for both sides two and a half weeks before the Referendum. Banning foreign ads is one thing. Giant corporate entities with no accountability deciding what Irish voters can hear and see…

Seven reasons to vote ‘No’

Ireland is facing the most momentous vote in its history, writes David Quinn   These are the closing days of a referendum debate on the most momentous vote ever to face the Irish people; do we believe that unborn members of the human family have a right to life or not? It is not at…

Can compassion 
justify voting ‘yes’?

A noble end cannot justify an evil means, otherwise morality would be a simple matter of having good intentions, writes Dr John Murray   Many people, including practising Catholics, might be motivated by compassion for women in crisis pregnancy situations to vote ‘yes’ in the upcoming abortion referendum. Such women and their difficulties feature often…

On suicide and despair

For centuries, suicide was considered as an act of despair and despair itself was seen as the most grievous sin of all.  In many religious circles, despair was seen as the most sinful of all acts and ultimately unforgiveable. Sadly a strong residue of that remains, suicide is still seen by many as an act…

Commitment to justice is not ‘optional’

Dear Editor, I note with surprise and dismay the recent statement of the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) on the Eighth Amendment. On first reading, it appears that what bothers the ACP is that laity are involved in articulating the pro-life message to Mass-goers – a curiously inconsistent position for an association which garners much…