Dear Editor, Your coverage of clerical remuneration (IC 18/07/2016) was of great interest to many of your readers. What trade union would accept a situation where members with equal experience and qualifications were on 26 different pay scales? Indeed from any cursory reading of the New Testament it is clear that Jesus treated all his…
Category: Opinion
Faith and values under attack by Islamic State
Dear Editor, As awful the act that claimed the life of the martyr Fr Jacques Hamel in France must be the recognition that Christian persecution has finally been visited (returned) to Europe in the most savage of fashions. That which our Christian brothers and sisters have endured in Iraq, Syria, and Nigeria among other nations…
A headline worth a thousand words
Dear Editor, How apt to see the photo of An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, under the heading of ‘Disconnected Catholics may experience God’s reality at Knock’ (IC 21/07/2016). After all, while claiming to be a practicing Catholic he had the abortion bill passed in the Dail. Now by what stretch of the imagination can anyone claim…
Our fear of Hell is a creation all of our own
Hell is never a nasty surprise waiting for a basically happy person. Hell can only be the full-flowering of a pride and selfishness that have, through a long time, twisted a heart so thoroughly that it considers happiness as unhappiness and has an arrogant disdain for happy people. If you are essentially warm of heart…
Pope makes classic mistake on violence motivated by religion
“the Pope is absolutely correct that not all Muslims are violent”, writes Michael Kelly, but Pope Francis fails to “confront the cold reality that Islamists such as so-called Islamic State claim to be acting in the name of Islam”
Have credit cards undermined the virtue of deferred gratification?
“Discipline yourself to wait for what you want” is what we were taught by the Church, writes Mary Kenny
A new sex-ed programme with a challenge for the Church
‘The Meeting Point’ understands the difficulties facing young people, writes David Quinn
The reality of modern martyrdom
Dear Editor, The brutal murder of Fr Jacques Hamel while celebrating Mass in northern France is one Catholics must reflect on with care. In your report on the murder’s repercussions among French Catholics (‘French Catholics in fear after Islamists kill priest at Mass’ IC 28/07/2016), you quote Fr Aidan Troy as saying that “attacking a…
Recognising our common humanity
Dear Editor, Last Thursday, I happened to hear Ray D’Arcy interview Sinead McBreen on his afternoon radio show on Radio One. While it was a pleasant surprise to hear Ray giving voice to the pro-life side of the abortion debate, I was disappointed at how the discussion played out. By the end of the interview…
Churches should take a lead on refugees in Ireland
“helping the refugee is a Christian duty and an essential part of the message of the New Testament”, writes Mary Kenny




Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Michael Kelly
Mary Kenny
David Quinn

