If making an argument it’s important to remember it, writes Michael Kelly
Category: Opinion
Language of the past needs to be interpreted in context
Investigating the history is often like ‘swimming through treacle’, writes Mary Kenny
The future of the Catholic Church in Ireland is not bleak
Dear Editor, How horrifying it was to read in The Irish Catholic (13/11/2014) Archbishop Neary’s contention that the Catholic Church has lost the battle with secularism and that Ireland is witnessing the death rattle of Christendom. What has happened to “…this is my rock and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”? So…
Not Church’s mission to battle secularism
Dear Editor, One would have to concur with Archbishop Neary that the Church has lost the battle with secularism (IC 13/11/2014). However, one would have to ask is it or was it the mission of the Church to do battle with secularism? I would suggest that the Church’s mission is to spread the Gospel and…
A lack of compassion or irresponsibility?
Dear Editor, How uplifting to read Philip Johnson’s story of his diagnosis of terminal brain cancer and his hope of ordination to the priesthood (IC 13/11/2014). What a comparison with that of 29-year-old Brittany Maynard who ended her life because of a similar diagnosis. All life is fragile and worth living but, unfortunately, not always…
Archbishop Neary should listen to Christina Gallagher
Dear Editor, The story on Archbishop Michael Neary in The Irish Catholic of November 13 makes for grim reading: “Church has ‘lost the battle’ with secularism”. Sadly, one would have to agree with his assessment. It’s such a pity that our Church leaders did not take heed of our Blessed Mother’s request to have the rosary…
Tribute to a clerical hurling legend
Dear Editor, The death has occurred of Venerable Archdeacon Michael O’Brien, known to a generation of Cork GAA supporters as ‘the Canon’. The people of Cork are saying goodbye to a priest who has served us well; walked with us in our joys, our sorrows and in our everyday lives. He baptised us, prayed with…
The fulfilment of Jesus’ messianic mission
The Church teaches that Jesus descended into Hell to free all those who had gone before him, writes Cathal Barry
Grounding concepts of the ‘real’ Church
The real Church is ‘a place of conscience and spirit inside a person’, writes Fr Ron Rolheiser
A message we needed to hear
“A great struggle… has been fought. And… we have lost.”– Archbishop Michael Neary, November 9, 2014

Michael Kelly
Mary Kenny
Courtney McGrail
Cathal Barry
Fr Ronald Rolheiser