The Notebook Bernard Cotter “You’ll be very busy coming up to Christmas, Father.” As a newly-ordained priest, this frequently-repeated greeting in November and December confused me. I couldn’t figure how Christmas could make life even busier for me than every other month. I asked my senior and wiser colleague, who explained gently that I…
The New York Times had a long article earlier this month on what it described in the headline as “the demise of the Church” in Ireland. Much has been made of the effects of abuse scandals and a tidal wave of secularism on the Faith. But, to paraphrase Mark Twain, rumours of demise are greatly…
I tend to send Christmas cards in fits and starts (and I still adhere to the old French custom that Christmas greetings can be sent well into January – certainly until Epiphany on January 6). But a melancholy aspect of leaving through my address book in December is to note the little cross I put against…
It may now be time for the Gardaí to act on the murky world of foreign funding of political campaigns in Ireland, writes Greg Daly “As you will appreciate, ‘garnering support for the repeal of the Eighth Amendment of the Irish Constitution’ clearly falls within the definition of political purpose,” the Standards in Public…
The View Martin Mansergh ‘Peace on earth and mercy mild; God and sinners reconciled’. These lines from the first verse of the well-known carol ‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’ reflect the human desire for harmony and reconciliation, and for a breathing-space from life’s battles during the Christmas season and at the close of the old year. It is one of the…
Pro-life groups have as much right to be single-issue as any other group, writes David Quinn Something I have noticed down the years is a constant retort on the part of those who oppose the right to life for the unborn, namely: “Why aren’t you pro-lifers equally concerned about the rights of the born?”…
Every year Time magazine recognises someone as ‘Person of the Year’. The recognition isn’t necessarily an honor; it’s given to the person whom Time judges to have been the newsmaker of the year – for good or for bad. This year, instead of choosing an individual to recognise as newsmaker of the year, it recognised…
The Italian Catholic activist Chiara Lubich reflected some years ago on the fact that our contemporary culture appears to have abandoned Christ, but certainly not Christmas. Even people who have long since moved away from the practise of their faith are still captivated by Christmas – at least on the face of it, the celebration…
Dear Editor, I must congratulate you on your editorial comment ‘The paralysing effects of negativity in the Church’ (IC 7/12/17). While if one counts numbers on pews with comparisons to the past, and if one reflects on recent scandals within our Church, one could be forgiven for being pessimistic. However if you get involved at…
The Notebook One of the things I would love to be able to experience is to stand in the inner chamber at Newgrange on the morning of December 21, the Winter solstice. Imagine standing in absolute darkness and then be astonished as the sunlight finds its way through the channel above the entrance into…
Michael Kelly
Mary Kenny
Greg Daly
David Quinn
Fr Ronald Rolheiser