Cathal BarryCathal Barry explains that Church Tradition is preserved by the bishops as successors to the apostles
Category: Opinion
Shatter’s attack on the family
A forthcoming law will be the most far-reaching attack on the family, writes David Quinn
Ecumenical harmony in America
Mary KennyThe late President Kennedy is remembered fondly, in Ireland, as the first Irish-American President of the United States – although he wasn’t quite the first: there were quite a few Irish-American presidents before him, but they were from Ulster-Irish (generally Presbyterian) stock and that, somehow, discounted them. But JFK was the first Irish Catholic American…
The opportunity for the Church
I'm back in Australia after two months in Europe, including Ireland. I find it difficult to overestimate the rate and depth of change I witnessed and the collapse of a phase of the Church's life that is currently underway. Throughout the world, but particularly in Ireland, the sense of the end of an era that…
Searching for a word filled with reality
The right word makes the Word become flesh, writes Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Truth should not suffer for film drama
Dear Editor, The makers of the recent film Philomena have been careful to point out that it is a drama not a documentary, however, in general drama is far more effective in conveying emotion than documentaries and also is not burdened with the need to remain true to the facts. For example according to The…
There is a biblical tradition of relics
Dear Editor, Margaret Ahearne, (IC 7/11/13) is grossly in error when she states that the use and veneration of the relics of the saints is unbiblical and unchristian. Far from it. There are several biblical references, both in the Old and New Testaments, from which the Catholic Church derives this practice and Christians from antiquity…
Pope Francis is far from a ‘straw man’
Dear Editor, Reading from Michael Higgins’ Letter from America (IC, 14/11/13), it would seem that the religious far right conservatives across the Atlantic are not happy about Pope Francis. They seem to see the Pope as some kind of ‘straw man’ who is not quite the equal of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI. In business…
RTÉ coverage of the Philippines was scant
Dear Editor, I was very disappointed in scanty coverage by RTÉ on Philippines disaster; again RTÉ seems out of touch with international news compared to BBC, ITV and SKY News which give extensive coverage. Irish people are indebted to the thousands of Filipino nurses and care workers in our hospitals and health clinics. Of course the…
Facing the challenge to forgive
Dear Editor, Aubrey Malone titles his review of the film Philomena ‘The Sins of the Mothers’ (IC 31/10/13). He clearly sees sin only in the young mothers like Philomena Lee who were locked in the Magdalen Homes and not in how they were treated. He sees the film as an attack on ‘the Church’ which…