Theologians and those who reflect on religion and culture often ponder to what extent Catholicism was actually ever deeply embedded in the Irish psyche. This is not an issue about religious practice or the dominant position of the Church in Irish society. Fr Oliver Rafferty SJ has observed that during the 1950s – thought by…
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…
I won’t stop doing something I dearly love just because I’m a woman
Emily Keyes When I was growing up, my parents taught me that being a feminist meant believing that women have the right to do whatever they want. I was never pressured into doing something just because I was a girl, and I was never dissuaded from doing something just because it was associated with…
Only a ‘no’ vote stops widespread abortion
The decision that Irish people are being asked to make on May 25 is one of epic proportion. Never before in the history of this State have people been asked whether or not they want to vote the fundamental right to life of one particular group out of constitutional existence. Bunreacht na hÉireann is not…
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…

Michael Kelly

Mary Kenny
Breda O'Brien
David Quinn

Fr Ronald Rolheiser

