Recently, while on the road giving a workshop, I took the opportunity to go the cathedral in a city for a Sunday Eucharist. I was taken aback by the homily. The priest used the Gospel text where Jesus says “I am the vine and you are the branches” to tell the congregation that what Jesus…
Next week will see the inauguration of Donald J. Trump as the 45th president of the United States of America. Few could have predicted, even six months ago, that Mr Trump would defeat the Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton. In fact, I spent election results night at a party hosted by the wonderful US Ambassador to…
“Much of what passes for debate about faith in Ireland is a mishmash of tired clichés and ignorant bombast”, writes Michael Kelly In a recent perceptive letter Jesuit theologian Fr Gerry O’Hanlon took up the issue of the so-called ‘dialogue of the deaf’ between secularists and religious believers in Ireland. “At a time,” Fr O’Hanlon…
A United Ireland is “the most practical and sensible way to resolve headaches over Brexit” writes Mary Kenny It’s being suggested in a much-discussed new book by Kevin Meagher that one of the solutions to current political problems is – a united Ireland. In A United Ireland – Why Unification is Inevitable and How it…
Times have changed since the last ad limina, writes David Quinn It is 10 years since the Irish bishops made their last ad limina visit to Rome. It will take place from January 15-25. Literally, an ad limina apostolorum means ‘to the threshold of the Apostles’. It is a pilgrimage to the tombs of Ss…
In a new interview published on January 8, Pope Francis says he came into the papacy not wanting to travel very much, but after his initial outing to the Italian island of Lampedusa in early July 2013, which is a major point of arrival for refugees trying to enter Europe, he understood he had to…
“Far from emphasising submission, the message I picked up was about not conforming to received ideas. Do what you believe is right. Defend your values. Do not be afraid”, writes Mary Kenny The proposal to remove religion from the core curriculum of primary schools has been greeted by secularists as “a progressive step for Irish…
Move comes after criticism of earlier ‘outrageous’ motion The Dáil is set to debate a full motion condemning the persecution of Christians in the Middle East, The Irish Catholic has learned. Just weeks after the failure of politicians to include Christians in a motion attacking the treatment of Iraq’s Yazidi minority by so-called Islamic…
“Any crisis facing the family also becomes a crisis for the Church” writes Michael Kelly This year will see preparations for the 2018 World Meeting of Families in Dublin intensify. Much focus around the event – so far – has centred on whether or not Pope Francis will attend the gathering. All of the signals…
A backlash of stymied voices is developing, writes David Quinn One of the many things highlighted by the victory of Donald Trump in the US, and Brexit in the UK, is that a lot of people are sick and tired of political correctness. Those who are sick of it appear more likely to have voted…
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Michael Kelly
Mary Kenny
David Quinn
John L. Allen Jr.
Paul Keenan