It’s vital that pro-life voters set tribal loyalties aside and are willing to stand up for life, writes Editor Michael Kelly The results of the General Election are somewhat of a curate’s egg. On the one hand, we have seen the election of many deputies who are pugnacious and unapologetic about their support for the…
Category: Opinion
Reproductive rights are ever more complex
“how can we demand ‘rights’ from nature?”, questions Mary Kenny Many campaigners aiming to dismantle the Eighth (Life Equality) Amendment to the Irish Constitution – protecting human life in utero – now march under the banner of “reproductive rights”. It sounds such a simple demand: who wouldn’t allow parents their “reproductive rights”? But how complex…
American politics has a big impact on Ireland
“The clumsy nature of the campaign opened the way to more and more anti-establishment politicians”, writes Breda O’Brien I was talking to a shop owner the other day, who told me that when he despairs at the state of Irish politics, he looks at American politics and feels much better. Without wishing to plunge him…
Spotlight needed on culture of deference
The Church, BBC and Rotherham abuse scandals all have a culture of deference in common, writes David Quinn Spotlight, the film about how the Boston Globe helped uncover clerical abuse scandals, won the Best Picture award at the Oscars last weekend. The film is aptly named because the Boston Globe did put a spotlight on…
Parishes should look to sports clubs for inspiration on youth events
Dear Editor, I was intrigued to read a report in last week’s edition of The Irish Catholic (25/02/2016) describing how faith and sport were the “matrix” for strong and healthy parishes. Physical Therapist Gerard Hartmann hit the nail on the head when he described how faith and sport are “intertwined”. It’s a pity that more…
Abortion on ‘British model’ unacceptable
Dear Editor, In the Trinity College Long Room lies an original copy of the 1916 Proclamation. As I read the words that helped establish a Republic (on the Irish model) I could not help but reflect on the deep irony of parties like Sinn Féin and in particular the Labour Party calling for abortion based…
When is a ‘clump of cells’ human?
Dear Editor, Many years ago I asked a group of boys to name their favourite television show. The vast majority named The Incredible Hulk as the one that most took their fancy. In order to satisfy my curiosity I had to sit and watch a programme. The essence of what was to come was spoken…
Immediate need to establish a lay funeral ministry
Dear Editor, To cope with the diminishing and ageing celibate priesthood, there is an urgent need to lift as much as possible from some of the many liturgical duties that we expect them to lead us. Once such duty is funerals. Even in his diminishing strength and health we ask our beloved priest to come…
Death penalty against Catholic values
Dear Editor, Your news item about the death of US Supreme Court Justice, Antonin Scalia (IC 18/02/2016) gave the impression that he was an exemplary Catholic. If Catholic values are to be understood as trying to live like the compassionate Jesus of the Gospels, it is difficult to see how the late judge stood out…
We should never write off people with disabilities
Dear Editor, Mary Kenny’s piece on blind cricket commentator Dean du Plessis, of Zimbabwe, was very interesting (IC 18/02/2016). She says: “Mr du Plessis, aged 39, was born with serious tumours in his head, and it was predicted at birth that he could only live for a brief time. But he survived, had medical care…

Michael Kelly
Mary Kenny
Breda O'Brien
David Quinn





