The latest revelations deserve greater attention, writes David Quinn Another report of another child abuse inquiry was published last week. This time, the inquiry, the Historical Institutional Abuse (HIA) Inquiry, chaired by retired judge Sir Anthony Hart, dealt with abuse in institutions in Northern Ireland. These institutions were run by the Catholic Church, by the…
For some, he has blood on his hands. But, any objective judgement of Martin McGuinness reveals a remarkable man, writes Martin O’Brien Martin McGuinness, genial and ruthless guerrilla leader turned statesman, now fighting serious illness, has been one of the most significant figures in the history of these islands over the past five decades. From…
As Trump takes office, he and Francis share a Russia problem As Donald Trump takes office, he enters that vaguely defined set of “major world leaders”. Though we could debate who else belongs, it would include the Prime Minister of Britain, the Chancellor of Germany, the Secretary General of the UN, the President of Russia,…
The fate of was all too inevitable. Immediately after the priest went missing from his home in the state of Coahuila on January 3, authorities of his Diocese of Saltillo issued appeals for the security forces to do all in finding him and for his captors to release him unharmed. But this is Mexico. Thus,…
Dear Editor, Nuala O’Loan and Bishop Donal McKeown’s articles in The Irish Catholic of January 19 make for sobering reading, and should be read and reflected upon by any British – or indeed Irish – supporters of withdrawal from the EU. Ahead of last June’s Brexit referendum, Irish people north and south of the border…
Early Christian monks believed in something they called acedia. More colloquially, they called it, the noonday devil, a name that essentially describes the concept. Acedia, for them, was different from ordinary depression in that it didn’t draw you into the dark, chaotic areas of your mind and heart, to have you diseased before your own…
“Francis has changed much in the workings of the Holy See, and the traditional bishops’ visits are not immune from this”, writes Michael Kelly At the Vatican press office on Friday morning, dozens of journalists waited patiently for the script of what Pope Francis would say to the Irish bishops present for their ad limina…
Dear Editor, At a time when we are being asked by Pope Francis among others to rethink our relationship to our God-made environment, we are asked to examine our consumption patterns. One aspect of consumption is the food we eat. As Church, we are also called upon to make acts of personal sacrifice including special…
Dear Editor, This country at the present time is going through the greatest crisis of faith. For a long time I prayed for another papal visit to this country – now Pope Francis is coming in 2018, and please God there will be a healing of the wounds of the past and a great revival…
Dear Editor, We sat watching Meryl Streep’s tearful reproof at the Golden Globe Awards: “Violence begets violence.” This was followed, on television, by the trailers of two forthcoming films from Hollywood, depicting the most brutal violence on screen. Perhaps her speech could have profitably been directed towards some of her own colleagues or towards some…
David Quinn
Martin O'Brien
John L. Allen Jr.
Paul Keenan
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Michael Kelly