Courtney McGrailDear Editor, I have only recently become familiar with Charlie Hebdo’s work, thanks to the inexcusable act of violence in Paris. I am a fan of satire, but Hebdo seems to focus its energies exclusively on provoking the Islamic community in the most vile way possible. Its writers worked hard to provoke a reaction, and…
Category: Opinion
Sneering attack on Belvedere students
Dear Editor, Cathal Barry rightly condemns Irish Times journalist Rosita Boland’s sneering attack on the generous Belvedere College students Christmas sleep-out for the homeless (IC 08/01/2015). Ms Boland, apparently, from her lofty perch in the Irish Times, found the Belvedere lads’ efforts to help the homeless “inappropriate”, “distasteful” and “uncomfortable”. The Belvedere lads’ fee-paying status…
Publishing online is not enough
Dear Editor, Your front page article of January 8, (“Church same-sex marriage campaign under question”) tells of the letter from the Irish Episcopal Conference on marriage that received little attention from the laity, or even the clergy for that matter. The reason was simply that not enough copies were circulated to reach more people. Of course, the…
Nollaig na mBan not Mná
Dear Editor, I enjoy reading Mary Kenny’s article every week in your esteemed newspaper. She is a rock of sense and a fountain of knowledge. But I suppose there is no such thing as absolute perfection. Nollaig na mná? (IC 08/01/2015) Mary, mo náire thú. Tuiseal ginideach, uimhir iolra of bean, as you learned at school. I like to climb…
Smaller philanthropists should also be lauded
Dear Editor, It was interesting to read Peter Costello’s timeline of some philanthropic Irish millionaires and their laudable generous contribution to Irish society (Book Reviews IC 08/01/2015). There were possibly many smaller, and possibly more personally impactful, acts of generosity going on that also need to be lauded. Take the case of Canon Molloy –…
Hypocrisy over defence of freedom of expression
Michael KellyWe must stand with the French people in their mourning, and we must stand for their cherished principle of liberté, writes Michael Kelly
A great time to be Catholic
Dear Editor, This is a great time to be Catholic. We now go to Mass, not blindly because everybody else does, but because we choose to. Anyone who knows GK Chesterton and JRR Tolkien knows we live in the lands of long defeats. We are not supposed to win this side of the grave. Your…
God’s Spirit and Word in the time of the promises
Cathal BarryThe Church teaches that every creature has its origins in God, writes Cathal Barry
Private morality is where all morality takes root
Fr Ronald RolheiserWe can never be challenged too strongly with regards to being committed to social justice. A key, non-negotiable summons that comes from Jesus himself is precisely the challenge to reach out to the poor, to the excluded and to those whom society deems expendable. Therefore, the huge, global issues of justice should preoccupy us. Can…
The deeper message of St Mel’s
After weeks of reading articles and watching programmes about it, I visited the refurbished St Mel’s cathedral in Longford last Sunday afternoon. Crowds were still pouring through its doors, weeks after the official reopening. The addresses in the visitors’ book revealed that many had travelled quite a distance to be there. That’s no surprise, the…